Surge in public defibrillator use during heatwave

The use of publicly accessible defibrillators has more than doubled during the recent heatwave, South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) has said.

Organisations and businesses responsible for the devices are being urged to check their equipment is on the national Circuit register and is ready to treat anyone having a suspected cardiac arrest.

SCAS said the rise in their use during the extreme heat showed they played a “vital role”.

The call comes as parts of the south and east of England officially declared a heatwave on Monday and have seen temperatures reach 30C or higher since.

The use of defibrillators across the SCAS region – covering Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire – was almost four times higher than the 31% increase recorded nationally during the recent period of extreme temperatures.

SCAS warned an unchecked device with expired pads or a depleted battery could mean a lifesaving opportunity is lost during the first critical minutes of a cardiac arrest.

Jack Ansell, divisional community engagement manager at SCAS, said: “This surge of defibrillator deployment during the last heatwave shows how vital the work of defibrillator guardians is, so please, please help us and check your defib today if you’ve not done it for a while.”

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, early CPR and rapid defibrillation provide the best chance of survival.

Members of the public do not need prior training to use the device.

Modern automated external defibrillators provide clear, spoken instructions and will only deliver a shock if required.

Anyone needing advice on maintaining them is asked to contact the ambulance service.