How much do community defibrillators cost?

Defibrillators are used to when someone is suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. They deliver a shock to the heart if needed in order to encourage it to start beating again on it’s own, at it’s natural pace. Sudden cardiac arrests can happen to anyone at anytime, gender, age or ethnicity doesn’t play a role in who will have a sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrests are caused by electrical faults with the heart, this causes the heart to stop beating by which point the patient will have fallen unconscious and will not be breathing. When this happens, the heart will no longer be pumping oxygenated blood around the body which means you must call the emergency services, begin CPR and locate your nearest defibrillator as soon straight away.

As sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at anytime, you will often see them located in public areas, these are called public access defibrillators or PADs. PADs can be found at local sports centres, in supermarkets and in local towns and villages. Equally, many businesses and privately own establishments purchase defibrillators should one ever be needed.

Defibrillators can be costly, with prices starting at around £1,000, although this can range to over £1,600 depending on what defibrillator you opt for. There are however, lots of ways to fund this. Local communities often get together to raise money in a variety of ways. Fundraising is not only a great way to get funds but, it also raises awareness about the importance of defibrillators and the impact they have. Charity runs, dress down days, cake sales, sports day, donate your hair, face painting and car washing are all great ways to raise money to buy a local defibrillator.

As well as fundraising in your community, you can also apply for funding through the British Heart Foundation. You are able to play a vital role in helping to save lives this way, by applying online for funding to have a public access defibrillator (PAD) and a call push rescue training kit community package in your area. Check their eligibility criteria below:

The AED cabinet needs an electricity supply so that the defibrillator at the right temperature in the cold weather. This prevents the battery and pads from deteriorating
The defibrillator must be freely accessible to the public 24/7 and be placed externally, in an unlocked and un-coded cabinet
There must be a clear needed for funding to purchase the defibrillator (private businesses are not eligible)
There must be a commitment to train the local community in CPR, using the call push rescue training kit that will be provided
There must be a clear need for the defibrillator such as; a location with high footfall or, in a rural area.

To apply for funding with the British Heart Foundation, check the above criteria to ensure you are eligible and if you do, create an account and submit your online form. The application will then be reviewed by the BHF team who will contact you to confirm if your application has been successful or not. It is also useful to contact your local NHS ambulance service as they may be able to offer advice on a suitable model, location and cabinet for the defibrillator.

Community defibrillators make the difference between life and death in an emergency. You can check the national database to see where you nearest defibrillator is located. If you believe you would benefit from one in your area, don’t hesitate to start fundraising or, apply for funding.