Why quick access to a defibrillator is the difference between life and death

Quick access to a defibrillator could be the difference between life and death; this is something that Ripon Danis experienced himself during a journey home.

Walking out of Highbury & Islington London Underground station, Danis suffered a cardiac arrest at the age of just 37.

Fortunately for him, a defibrillator was nearby, and two bystanders were able to help before it was too late.

“Your chance of survival boils down to CPR and defibrillator access. One jolt gave me a chance,” he says.

Most people believe that the act of buying a defibrillator alone is enough to save lives.

But just owning one is not enough. Fewer than one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK. Lack of visibility of defibrillators in an emergency is a contributing factor.

To improve these survival rates, BHF has developed The Circuit – the national defibrillator database.

The Circuit aims to register and map the UK’s estimated 100,000 defibrillators so that ambulance services can direct bystanders to their nearest one in an emergency and increase a person’s chances of survival.

Your chance of survival boils down to CPR and defibrillator access

“Having The Circuit to know where the closest defibrillator is, that’s going to be the difference between life and death, it’s as simple as that,” adds Ripon, who knows how vital it is to have a device nearby.

Defibrillators that are not registered on The Circuit will not be visible to ambulance services, which means they are less likely to be located and used in the ultimate medical emergency.

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of defibrillators are not registered on The Circuit, so ambulance services are unable to direct bystanders towards them.

Currently less than five per cent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) actually receive bystander defibrillation – meaning chances to save lives are being missed every day.

As Ripon says, a defibrillator that’s registered on The Circuit and is visible to emergency services can make the difference between life and death.

So, giving your defibrillator its best chance of saving a life doesn’t mean just installing it on your wall. There is one final, simple step that can more than double someone’s chance of survival.

Register your defibrillator today.

If you own or look after a defibrillator, register it now on The Circuit.

It’s time to put your defibrillator on the map and give those who experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests the best fighting chance.

To register or find out more, visit thecircuit.uk