The residents of West Bergholt will soon have 24 hour access to a defibrillator unit, thanks to the East of England Co-op.
Working in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service, the Co-op is funding 100 defibrillators to be placed in communities across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, as part of the Every Minute Counts Campaign.
A defibrillator is a potentially life-saving machine that gives the heart an electric shock in some instances of Cardiac Arrest.
If you suspect somebody to be in Cardiac Arrest you should dial 999 so that an ambulance can be sent to you. If there is more than one person with the casualty, you will be directed to the defibrillator whilst the other person performs CPR.
The defibrillator will be in a yellow cabinet situated at the Co.op Store, West Bergholt . The operator will provide you with an access code to get into the cabinet. The defibrillator should be taken out and taken back to the casualty and the operator will provide guidance over the phone.
If someone is able to administer CPR or use a defibrillator in the first four minutes, whilst the ambulance is en route, there is a significantly higher survival rate. Once the ambulance has arrived the paramedics will take over.
The East of England Co-op and East of England Ambulance Service will be holding defibrillator demonstrations across the region, so you can see how it works and ask any questions you may have. Visit the Co-op website, www.eastofengland.coop/everyminutecounts.