Hotel owners in Scarborough in bid to buy more defibrillators for the Town

They say it'll help save the lives of their guests and the local community

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 20th Jan 2024

B&B owners on the Yorkshire Coast are raising money to install defibrillators to help save lives in the local community.

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest

"We're putting this into the community to save people locally"

James Rusden runs Toulson Court B&B and says everyone has been pitching in to get as many as possible.: "We started off doing collection pots. We did a raffle which some of our suppliers gave us bottles of wine and tickets and stuff for. Before the end of this month, we should have one installed at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Scarborough and another one going in at the new Southlands Hotel in the South Cliff."

"I've never suffered from a heart attack but my Dad did and I know how important a defibrillator can be. If somebody has a heart attack basically when they are on a defibrillator it increases their chance of surviving so much more."

"We love what we do, it's not just for B&B owners raising is for their guests, we are putting this into the community to save people locally hopefully."

Steps to using a defib from the British Heart Foundation

Step 1: Press the green button to switch on the defibrillator and follow the instructions.

Step 2: Remove the person’s clothing above the waist.

You might have to remove a person's bra by slipping the straps down or cutting it off. Most defibrillator packs have tools like scissors to help you to do this. It might feel odd or embarrassing but do not let that stop you. Remember, this is a life-or-death situation.

Step 3: Peel off the sticky pads and attach them to the person’s bare skin. Put one pad on each side of the chest as shown in the picture on the defibrillator.

Step 4: Once you have attached the pads, stop CPR and do not touch the person. The defibrillator will then check the person’s heart rhythm.

Step 5: The defibrillator will decide whether a shock is needed. If so, it will tell you to press the ‘shock’ button. An automatic defibrillator will shock the person without you needing to do anything. Do not touch the person while they’re being shocked.

Step 6: The defibrillator will tell you when the shock has been given and whether you need to continue CPR.

Step 7: If the defibrillator tells you to continue to do CPR, continue with chest compressions until the person shows signs of life, or the defibrillator tells you to stop so it can analyse the heartbeat again.

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