Defibrillators

Trek

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Anyone been following the defibrillator threads on MHFun forum?

They are collecting to raise money to buy some to carry to their rallies and meets
 
Is there one available for motorhomer ralliies then ?

I ordered one yesterday to leave in my camper
( it’s an insurance that i will never need to use it )
 
It is likely that a charity I belong to will be gifted a defibrillator. It'll be stored in a shed in a field at the end of a long lane with no power.

Does anyone have any idea of maintenance issues, such as:

- how long the internal battery lasts without a re-charge.

- would we need a spare battery to swap over between charges.

- life span of battery before needing a replacement.

- annual maintenance costs.

- do they need software updates?

Don't want much, do I! :)
 
From my limited knowlege the batteries are not rechargable and do have an expiry date as too do the pads that stick onto the chest

Some pads may have a 2 year life span others 5 years

The batteries tend to be in a sealed pack specific to that model


one of the ZOLL models take standard batteries that fit cameras ( 10 of them ) so this would be cheaper as they could be bought online eg amazon or in a camera shop

If a charity is giving you this unit then it may also provide training and ongoing support to include replacement pads and batteries after use or at expiry
 
Trek said:
Is there one available for motorhomer ralliies then ?

I ordered one yesterday to leave in my camper
( it’s an insurance that i will never need to use it )
Click to expand...

We have three.

I carry one, The Laird has one and Jeffmossy has one. Between us, this means that most meets have defib cover. We also had a training session for members at Druridge Bay in 2017 where lots of members were trained to use them.

We have Cardiac Science G5 AEDs with two sets of pads, ready kits and aspirin. The pads are the CPR type and have a heart compression pad to ensure that CPR is been giving effectively.
 
Trek said:
From my limited knowlege the batteries are not rechargable and do have an expiry date as too do the pads that stick onto the chest

Some pads may have a 2 year life span others 5 years

The batteries tend to be in a sealed pack specific to that model


one of the ZOLL models take standard batteries that fit cameras ( 10 of them ) so this would be cheaper as they could be bought online eg amazon or in a camera shop

If a charity is giving you this unit then it may also provide training and ongoing support to include replacement pads and batteries after use or at expiry
Click to expand...

Thank you for taking the trouble to provide a helpful reply., Trek.

I guessed that the supplying company would provide a pack expanding on the details of how the thing worked (I'm already fully trained in their use).

What I was looking for was info that ensured our (strapped for cash) charity didn't accept something that we couldn't afford to properly maintain. At a meeting where the offer was made I googled the costs and was disappointed by the cost of even a second battery.

As I said in another post, I'm a worrier by nature, and as a director I have a responsibility to do the right thing.
 
I also carry one in my vehicles. Mine has two batteries, a long life one that tops up the other one when it goes down in charge. It has to go back every 5 years. The pads are very expensive at about £75 a set.
 
We maintain the two defibs that are externally sited in heated boxes in our village. The pads have just been replaced, using the type that can be for adults and children, and they cost around £40 per set. They have a life span of 3 years.
Dave
 
I started to consider getting myself a defibrillator and after looking around was disappointed to find i would have to pay VAT plus i was concerned about the ongoing costs of pads and batteries

So I contacted the Welsh Ambulance Trust PADS office ( public acces defibrillator) asking if they knew of any charity that I could purchase one through at either a discount or VAT free

They suggested i contact three Welsh charities so i emailed two of them and got an immediate response from one who offered me an AED for a donation less than what it would have cost me to buy one and they would support and maintain it for 10 years including replacing pads and batteries after use or when they expire , they would even loan me a device should mine have to go off for servicing etc and they offered me annual training

Just waiting to receive it
 
They are great idea. I think my village has one or two located in a phone box? (nearest A&E is in another Country!).

But a question... what about liability insurance? if a volunteer uses one of these and the patient suffers an adverse effect or dies anyway, is there any indemnity? Obviously the idea is to help and save someone who may otherwise die but if they/their family do not see it that way and want to sue/whatever, what protection does the Defrib user have?
 
I carry one in vehicle , and batteries can be expensive . They have a use by date , and when they get near end of life , if left in cold vehicle , they will drop below use level . The pads, (some different sizes) are also life'd items . So another expense. but beyond value when needed.
 
If you need to use a defibrillator for real chances are the patient is already dead and you cant get any worse than that


I always have a first aid for work training every 3 years , and the last two both started with the instructor talking about liability etc
 
wildebus said:
They are great idea. I think my village has one or two located in a phone box? (nearest A&E is in another Country!).

But a question... what about liability insurance? if a volunteer uses one of these and the patient suffers an adverse effect or dies anyway, is there any indemnity? Obviously the idea is to help and save someone who may otherwise die but if they/their family do not see it that way and want to sue/whatever, what protection does the Defrib user have?
Click to expand...

The defibs in our village cannot be operated other than in accordance with the programme in the unit. It talks you through the procedure and will not work if the medical circumstances are not appropriate. So I guess any comeback would be to the defib manufacturer not the operator.
Dave
 
Trek said:
If you need to use a defibrillator for real chances are the patient is already dead and you cant get any worse than that.....................
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I've been taught on my first aid courses.
 
I have done it as it was my job to know how.. I also saved a man in Canterbury who arrested outside park and ride area, CPR for 15 minutes until two Ambulances turned up in very heavy traffic, with the GEAR. They carted him off to K.C.Hospital. Next day I saw him hale and harty( hearty) but he moaned that I had cracked 6 of his ribs and it hurt a lot. He went home a week later to Essex. still going? I do not know but had it had my defib. then he might have been a lot better off than having a clumbsy oaf breaking ribs. If you need to do for real then it must be done hard or it will not work.
PS Now I am the same age he was then I hope there some around that KNOW what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
 
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