We are delighted to be able to support The Philip Maher Foundation in hosting a publicly accessible automated external defibrillator (AED) at our Great Harwood office on Queen Street.
The AED was handed over by Marcus Maher, a Trustee of the Foundation, to Managing Director Phillip Thompson
‘We are extremely happy to host the defibrillator on behalf of the charity, which arose out of the tragedy of Phil’s sudden death exactly a year ago today’ said Phillip.
‘The efforts of the charity in placing these pieces of life saving equipment in public places are highly commendable and we will look to continue to support the charity in other ways in the future.
Foundation Trustee Marcus Maher added: ‘We would like to thank Watson Ramsbottom for hosting the AED for the benefit of all individuals who may visit the centre of Great Harwood, be that for business, work or leisure’.
‘Watson Ramsbottom’s location on the high street in Great Harwood made their offices a perfect site for locating the AED.’
For more information about the charity, including how you can support its work, please visit https://www.facebook.com/ThePhilipMaherFoundation/
Public Access Automated External Defibrillators (PADs)
An automated external defibrillator or AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layman, and the use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, first responder and basic life support (BLS) level CPR classes.
A defibrillator delivers an electrical current through the chest which aims to shock the heart back into a normal rhythm allowing it to pump again. Rapid response using automated technology can significantly improve the quality of life of a survivor, as the longer the brain is starved of oxygen, the more damage that can occur. An AED is a portable defibrillator especially designed for people with no medical background. When applied to the victim, voice commands and screen messages will guide the user step-by-step through the process and its intelligent technology will only allow it to shock a ‘shockable’ heart rhythm. AED technology opens a window for the public to take on a key role to support emergency services who would otherwise be hindered by the time it takes to reach the victim. It is argued that AEDs should be as broadly deployed as fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
About Sudden Cardiac Arrest:
Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SCA is an electrical malfunction of the heart (most commonly Ventricular Fibrillation) in which the heart stops pumping blood to the body and brain due to an abnormal heart rhythm known as an arrhythmia. As the victim consecutively loses pulse, consciousness and ability to breathe, the victim is termed “clinically dead” and can only be physically brought back to life in a very small window of time using a defibrillator or AED.
Survival: 5% with CPR alone; 50% with defibrillation
The rate of survival of an SCA is dependent upon time. The quicker the intervention, the better the outcome. Brain death starts after 3 minutes so urgent action is needed, particularly in rural areas where it can take several minutes to get a competently trained person to the scene. PADs can be at the scene in a matter of minutes.