Constables approve life-saving defib installation

Vale Constables Richard Leale, left, and John Niles at the new defibrillator at Les Amarreurs.

The Constables were approached after a parishioner raised the issue and it was realised there was a gap in the existing island network of Public Access Defibrillators, the sophisticated medical devices that helps get the heart beating again when someone is in cardiac arrest and their heart has stopped by delivering a jolt of electricity.  

The one installed at Les Amarreurs joins more than 150 in the island as the Cardiac Action Group seeks to ensure there is comprehensive coverage across the island.

Constable Richard Leale said that after they were approached by a parishioner about the possibility of an Automated External Defibrillator being placed at the area they took the request seriously and made some inquiries.

Outlier
"It quickly became apparent that although the Cardiac Action Group has extensive coverage across the island, Les Amarreurs was a bit of an outlier, given the popularity of the bay and the play area there," he said.

Working with the relevant authorities the Constables were able to arrange for the equipment to be placed on the land side of the public facilities and provided with an electrical supply, which is essential for the defibrillator to work.

The installation is actually in two parts – a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD), right, which houses an Automated External Defibrillators (AED), left, which is a piece of life-saving equipment which can analyse a person's heart rhythm and, if necessary, gives a high energy electric shock to the heart that may restore a more stable rhythm. 

The Cardiac Action Group's mission is to encourage better awareness of heart health and reduce the number of deaths from cardiac arrest in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. More about its life-saving work can be found here: https://cag.org.gg

• Locations for PAD sites have been specifically chosen for ease of access and their close proximity to frequently used areas on island, hence the choice of Les Amarreurs as a venue.