In July 2013, The Volunteer Rifleman public house started a collection to install a community defibrillator on the building. This collection was started by landlord Paul Alvis together with Dave “Wally” Waldron, a local taxi driver in the city, and the pub regulars.
By November 2013 the collection of £2500 had been achieved, the cost to purchase a defibrillator and a case to house it. Unfortunately due to Bath’s World Heritage status, the device could not be installed on the Volley (as it was known).
By February 2014, and with no place for the machine to be installed, regulars of the pub sent an email to the then MP for Bath, Don Foster. Don sent an email to the local Councillors to ask for help in making this installation happen.
Susan Bowen, Funding and Programmes Manager, was asked to work with the regulars at the Volley, to establish a site for the defibrillator.
Finally, on the 13th of September 2014, the device was installed outside Northgate house in the Upper Borough Walls. Sadly, Dave “Wally” Waldron had died of a heart attack on 19th April 2014, and didn’t see the installation of this machine take place. The Cripple Club rode into town on this day in support of their fellow biker.
After this machine had been installed it seemed appropriate to embark on a programme of installations throughout the city and its environs. The next installation went into the Southgate Management building who paid for the complete installation of the equipment.
It should be noted and acknowledged that the other AED installations both within the City and throughout B&NES, generally have been purchased or installed through other means i.e. donated from local Rotary Clubs.
Community Defibrillators are available 24/7, each installation is registered with the South West Ambulance service. When they receive a 999 call and a life is potentially in danger from suspected cardiac arrest, they can dispatch the defibrillator by identifying its location from the postcode, and ask the caller or on hand help to go and collect it. Each defibrillator cabinet has a keypad pad and the caller is given the code to release the defibrillator when appropriate.
Defibrillators are safe and easy to use and give full instructions to the user, you cannot harm anyone with a device as they know if the person is in cardiac arrest or not. The sooner you receive defibrillation the better chance you have of survival.
In January 2015 the next defibrillator was installed in Larkhall, followed by one on the Golden Fleece on the lower Bristol Road. Funds were collected for this device by The Cripple Club where they are regulars.
Bath and North East Somerset Council have continued to work very closely with the community to assist in raising funds to install further devices. The Rotary Club donated two machines to the city centre: one has been installed in a telephone box in Terrace Walk, and the second on the Tesco local store on Westgate Street as pictured.
Each device requires an electrical supply to maintain a consitant temprature for the electrodes to prevent freezing and to ensure a long lasting life for the battery (non rechargable) as well as to supply light for the 999 caller. The Tesco locals in Bathwick, Weston and Windsor Bridge are hosting a further three installations and supplying the electricity for the machines; we will shortly be installing further machines on the Tesco’s in Englishcombe Lane and Wellsway.
Sainsbury’s In Odd Down has recently completed fundraising for further devices, and are planning to install machines at their Odd Down store and in Moorland Road. Several pubs and doctors surgeries are also hosting cPAD sites. Domino’s Pizza London Road donated half the cost for a device on their premises.
Bath and North East Somerset elected members have funding through the Ward Councillors’ Initiative Programme and many have made available funding for the installation of a device within their wards. We do not ask any host premises to contribute to an installation.
To date we have installed 16 devices throughout the city and surrounding areas, and have funding available to install a further 23 machines as soon as possible. The majority of hosts for the machines have been identified.
We are working closely with the Community Heartbeat Trust with the installation of this equipment, we purchase our machines through the Trust ensuring that we use devices which they recommend, they provide free training to use in PR and defibrillation as well as linking the units in with the local ambulance services, helping to maintain the machines via WebnoS and providing post rescue counselling for each site.
Councillor Tim Warren, (Conservative, Mendip), Leader of the Council, said: “Placing portable defibrillators in places where people gather enables immediate treatment to be given in an emergency situation. Defibrillators save lives and the Council is pleased to be working alongside Sainsbury’s and the Community Heartbeat Trust in this important campaign.”
Martin Fagan, National Secretary of the Community Heartbeat Trust, said: “The Community Heartbeat Trust charity is delighted to support this initiative by Bath & North East Somerset Council and Sainsbury’s. The provision of defibrillators saves lives, but has to be done holistically and realistically. We have worked closely with Bath & North East Somerset Council on many sites with very successful outcomes, and we will be supporting this initiative wholeheartedly
For further information please call Susan Bowen 01225 477278
email susan_bowen@bathnes.gov.uk
Press Release from Bath Town Council