Two new defibrillators have been installed around Buckingham as part of the Buckingham AED Project.
An automated External Defibrillator (AED) is an electronic life-saving device that shocks the heart after a cardiac arrest to try and restore its natural rhythm.
These new devices are located at Page Hill Avenue and Hilltop Avenue junction and Linden General Store in Burleigh Piece.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a condition in which the heart stops beating effectively and blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. If it is not treated, this usually causes death within minutes.
Last year a new defibrillator was installed in Overn Crescent, which brings the total devices in Buckingham up to 25. They are all checked monthly and pads and batteries are changed each time by the Buckingham AED project. Using the website Defibfinder.uk, these defibrillators are easy to find in an emergency situation.
In the 2022 statistics, South Central Ambulance Service received 4,890 Cardiac Arrest calls, 80% were to a place of residence. A defibrillator was used in just 8.5% of cases.
To help improve these numbers, the project is currently negotiating to install another AED on the new St Rumbolds Field estate. This will cover a further 400 households.
Awareness of these issues can also help survival chances. During the summer Buckingham AED project attended the ‘Celebrate Buckingham Day’ event and showed over 100 people how to check a casualty for Cardiac Arrest, call for help and perform CPR.
For more information visit: https://buckinghamaedproject.org.uk/
