Berkley/Frome community defibrillator

A defibrillator for use by the Berkley/Frome community in the event of an emergency has been officially unveiled.

Luci Hooper, deputy head at Berkley First School, and Janet Harvey from the parish council, have initiated the scheme and raised the money to purchase the defibrillator, by carrying out fundraisers including a mufti day for pupils at the school.  

Luci Hooper said, “We wanted to provide the community and the school with a defibrillator, as we know how valuable this equipment is in saving lives.  We would like to thank the parish council, our pupils, their parents and Rodden Road Cars for supporting this initiative and donating funds towards it.”  

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen at any time, to anyone, of any age, in any location. When a person collapses in sudden cardiac arrest, minutes count as the patient is not breathing and their heart has stopped beating. Performing immediate CPR can keep a person’s brain and heart alive until definitive care arrives, but using an AED (automated external defibrillator) can give the patient the best possible chance to survive.

The defibrillator (also known as an automated external defibrillator or AED) is located in a secure box by the entrance to the school.  The AED is available for use 24/7 to anyone in the vicinity who requires it, meaning that more people benefit from the presence of these devices and more lives could be saved.  

When you dial 999, the ambulance call handler will ask a series of questions and should your patient require it, they will identify the nearest available defibrillator to you, and give you access details.

Berkley School has several training DVDs if people wish to learn how defibrillators work.  Please phone the school on 01373 887390 for more information.