Thank you to local electricians for strengthening the Chain of Survival

We'd like to say a huge thank you to the incredible electricians who have volunteered their time, skills, and expertise to help install publicly accessible defibrillators across our region.

These lifesaving devices are now available in more communities because of people willing to give not just donations, but their time and practical support.

Why we're saying thank you

Last September, we put out an appeal on Facebook to find electricians who'd be willing to help us install devices across Bristol. This ask was staggeringly shared 280 times and we were flooded with offers. Since then, 14 local electricians have donated their skills and time to install 70+ lifesaving defibs across our region.

We're taking a moment to highlight and celebrate these electricians and companies:

• Lorne Stewart Group
• Great Wood Electrical
• J. White Electrical
• HB Electrical
• White Electrical
• Kendrick Electrical
• SC Electrical
• Price Electrical
• MES Electrical Services (Bristol) Ltd
• GW Electrical Services
• Unitary Engineering Services
• JPS Electrical Services
• ERW Electrical Services
• AMS Electrical Contractor and Handy Person Services

Why do our defib cabinets need electricity?

All our defibrillators are supplied with an external cabinet that needs to be installed outside by a qualified NICEIC registered electrician. The devices themselves are self-contained power-wise with batteries, but the cabinet itself does need to be connected to the electrics via a 3-amp fuse spur. This is so that a small trickle of heat can kick in during cold weather, which protects the defibrillator by preventing condensation, ensuring that the pads don’t freeze and maintaining the life of the batteries.

Does your community need a public access defib?

Every year in the UK 30,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. For every minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR, a person's chance of survival goes down by 10%. Sadly, less than 1 in 10 survive.

An automated external defibrillator is an easy-to-use medical device that can deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to someone who is in cardiac arrest. It is an essential part in trying to save their life. CPR should be done until a defibrillator reaches the person. Right now, only 40% of people receive early CPR and fewer than 2% have a defibrillator used prior to the ambulance arriving. The availability of defibrillators and the knowledge of how to use them is inadequate.

We want anyone who suffers a cardiac arrest to receive immediate CPR and defibrillation within 5 minutes. As a result of this, and other clinical care, there will be fewer avoidable and needless deaths in our communities. A defibrillator in your local community will strengthen the links in the chain of survival for someone who is suffering a cardiac arrest nearby. Find out more about our defibrillator package, and find your nearest device by following this link.