Stafflex shows some heart with defib box outside offices

LOCAL recruitment agency, Stafflex has installed a Community Public Access Defibrillator (CPAD) outside its office, which will be accessible 24/7 to anyone in the area requiring it.

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart through the chest wall to someone who is in cardiac arrest or having a heart attack.

It will be used for those who call the emergency services within a 600m radius of the Stafflex office and the cabinets have a key code lock which can only be accessed by calling 999 and obtaining the code ensuring the device remains secure at all times.

There are over 300,000 cardiac arrests every year with only 30,000 surviving out of hospital, but the defibrillator increases the chance of survival from a staggering 10% to 75%.

Over recent years there has been a large increase in the number of public access defibrillators across Yorkshire, rising from 35 in 2014 to 1,353 in 2018.

No formal training is needed to operate the defibrillators which is a huge bonus as people can often be overwhelmed when faced with this difficult situation.

Abigail Stahelin, Stafflex Compliance John Spikings, Community Defibrillation Trainer at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust with Abigail Stahelin, Compliance and Operations Director at Stafflex in Huddersfield with the new defibrillator and Operations Director said: “Public access defibrillators save lives and with our office in such a prime location near town on Chapel Hill, we felt a responsibility to care about the safety of the residents and visitors in Huddersfield.

“It’s important for the town centre to have as much coverage as possible and the addition of this defibrillator complements the existing ones at the Parish Church and Police Station.

“There are a number of other machines in the area but they are not for public use 24/7.

“We have maintained a defibrillator in our office since 2014 but it’s fantastic that it is now outside and available for the public to use.”

John Spikings, Community Defibrillation Trainer at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “We thank Stafflex for supporting this initiative by installing a public access defibrillator outside its office.

“We know how valuable this equipment is in saving lives as it can benefit the whole community if someone suddenly suffers a cardiac arrest.”

John has since conducted several training sessions with staff to give them the skills and confidence to use the defibrillator and perform CPR.

The defibrillator was connected by GSL Electrical Services and power is supplied by Sellers Engineers.