AED Locations in Basildon, Essex

  • by Adam Holmes
  • 09 Aug, 2018

AED's (defibrillators) in Basildon

Does your company, school or doctors surgery own a life saving defibrillator in Basildon, Essex? Did you know that you can register your  device on www.heartsafe.org.uk with the times that the general public can gain access to the machine (i.e. Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm)? Did you know that you can register the device with the East of England Ambulance Service so that they can send the first person on the scene of a cardiac arrest to your site during your opening hours if you are close enough by?

All of the above are not widely known by the general public, however could save a life if more companies and places with AED's registered themselves as having one on site.

You do not have to be trained to use an AED, the machine will talk you through what to do once you press the "on" button. The ambulance service on the end of the phone will also talk you through both the use of an AED and CPR if you have not been trained previously. 

Using an AED really is simple and should not be feared by the general public. When an AED is placed on an unresponsive casualty it immediately begins to assess for a heart rhythm. This will either be one of two things, a shockable rhythm, or a non shockable rhythm.


Shockable Heart Rhythm:

If the AED detects a shockable heart rhythm, it will instruct you to stand back, and press the shock button. Once this has been delivered, if the casualty does not regain consciousness you are instructed to begin CPR, and most AED's will even beep to the speed you need to compress their chest.

AED's are even so sophisticated that some can detect if your speed is too fast or slow or if you need to press harder and it will instruct you on this.

Non-Shockable Heart Rhythm:

If the AED detects a heart rhythm, it will inform you that no shock is advised and to begin CPR, with all the same information on your compression speed and depth if the model has that capability.

Important AED Information:

  1. You can not make this situation worse, but can make it better
  2. The AED will not work unless the heart is in a shockable rhythm
  3. Ensure that nobody is touching the casualty when the AED is analysing as it can pick up your heart beat
  4. Ensure nobody is touching the casualty when the shock is delivered
  5. Commence CPR when instructed to do so by the AED, 30 compression's 5-6cm in depth on an adult, 2 compression's a second
  6. Let the chest rise fully after each compression
  7. After 30 compression, place 2 rescue breaths into the casualty lasting 1 second each or provide continuous compression if you can not deliver the rescue breaths
  8. Doing something is better than nothing
If you would like to see how to use the AED and provide CPR please see our video below.