About HeartSafe®

Welcome to the UK’s leading Public Access Defibrillator website. Our aims and principles have not changed. Saving lives is our first and foremost objective.

Protect lives & make your community HeartSafe®

Why HeartSafe®

Welcome to the UK’s leading Public Access Defibrillator website. AED Locator is pleased to introduce you to the www.heartsafe.org.uk website.
Our aims and principles have not changed. Saving lives is our first and foremost objective.

Using innovative, advanced technology with HeartSafe® Public Access Cabinets and Defibrillators, we provide communities with proven solutions to obtain AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) in the quickest time possible should a sudden cardiac arrest occur.

If your community does not have quick and easy access to a defibrillator, a life could be lost unnecessarily. Don’t delay, follow the HeartSafe® initiative and protect your family and friends.

Expertise to Guide You in Choosing the Right AED

Because every individual Public Access Defibrillator location is different from the next, we recommend you use our experience to advise you. We have already placed thousands of defibrillators in different locations throughout the UK.
From the top of the mountains of Snowdonia to the rugged coastline of Cornwall, from the fells in Cumbria to the Mendip Hills, from the Highlands and Islands in Scotland to inner-city areas of major cities, along with hundreds of towns, villages and rural communities. Our experience cannot be surpassed.

Easy to Use, British Manufactured, CE rated, Stainless Steel, AED Cabinets

The HeartSafe® cabinet package is designed to last for a generation and longer. We believe the quality of our hand-crafted and finished stainless steel cabinets is the very best money can buy. The defibrillators we recommend are to suit best your needs and requirements. Futureproof, with lock/, unlock settings. Illuminated lock, a medical green beacon for maximum visibility at night. Tested in extreme conditions down to -40°. Bespoke cabinet wording with location information.
If laypeople are likely to be the end-users do not make the mistake of purchasing a defibrillator that does not provide the user with CPR feedback. It will not necessarily cost more money, but it will improve the CPR performance of the layperson. Defibrillators do not shock every time when used on a patient, only when a shockable arrhythmia is detected. Approximately 50% of the time when used, it does not shock and the good Samaritan® that is assisting is left to do CPR. Make sure your AED guides you accurately in giving CPR allowing the patient a greater chance of survival.
You are only likely to purchase such a piece of technical equipment once, so make sure you get it right the first time. We offer 8-year warranties on cabinets and defibrillators. Your investment needs careful research and we are happy to provide you with an individual quotation tailored to your needs. Contact us now

It is claimed 70% of people giving CPR make no effective difference to the survival of the patient. It is not as simple as watching CPR being performed on the TV series Casualty to know what to do. Being able to provide quality CPR with sufficient blood being circulated allowing oxygen to reach the brain. Sadly too many people having suffered SCA do not survive as the brain is damaged through lack of oxygen. Being able to give quality CPR whilst the Emergency Services are on their way is essential for the patient to survive. Sadly despite the samaritan’s best endeavours the depth and rate of chest compressions are not sufficient. However, the Heartsine 500P with accurate CPR feedback will help to maintain high-quality CPR with a greater chance of survival.
A quality-controlled method of recognising the standard for your Public Access Defibrillator site monitored and supported by HeartSafe® AED Locator, simple and accurate.
HeartSafe® AED Locator and the HeartSine Samaritan® PAD 500P defibrillator are British manufactured and assembled. Buy the best.

The Chew Valley Initiative 2007... how it all began

A local GP referred to the Chew Valley area of North Somerset (about 9 miles south of Bristol) as “Death Valley”. This was overheard by Clive Setter who lived and worked in the Valley who subsequently spoke to his sister, Trudie Lobban who is the CEO of the Arrhythmia Alliance Charity. A cunning plan was devised to commence a pilot scheme linked with the Great Western Ambulance Service (now South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust) to place Public Access Defibrillators in secure weatherproof heated cabinets throughout the Valley. Some 16 Villages were targeted. Local communities were appraised of the initiative and supported it. CPR training sessions commenced.

The “Death Valley” became the “Safe Valley” and HeartSafe® was born with each Village becoming HeartSafe® and having a greater opportunity of using a defibrillator in the following few vital minutes after a cardiac arrest was suspected whilst the Emergency Services made their way to the incident.

2020 - 2021 - Covid-19

Despite this difficult time, communities, businesses and sports clubs have continued to invest in HeartSafe® defibrillator packages. There has never been a more important time to ensure a life saving defibrillator is at the end of your road within the community.

How We Can Help You in your Community...

Are you looking to provide a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) in your community, sports club, place of business or school? There is nowhere we cannot help you. Do you wish to purchase a cabinet and defibrillator, seeking advice on awareness/training? If so, contact us here for experienced unbiased advice and guidance on the best approach to make your community HeartSafe®.
If you already own a defibrillator and you would like to purchase a cabinet and place it on the HeartSafe® AED Locator website for the public to know its position? For more information, click here.

Do you already own a cabinet and wish to place it on the HeartSafe® AED Locator website? For more information, click here.
Do you wish to become a guardian in your community and wish to establish a community scheme? For more information, click here.
Are you a community first responder and would like to know where your nearest defibrillator is in your community? For more information, click here.
Any other questions however unusual they may be, please send them to post@heartsafe.org.uk for our team of advisers to help and hopefully answer.

Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund

At any time in our lives, it is likely that we will need the help of the Emergency Services. Our health and our well-being is the most important valuable part of our day-to-day life. When things go wrong we call for help and in a matter of minutes, trained paramedics can be on the scene assisting us. As soon as they arrive and attend to our problems and if necessary speed us to hospital, the paramedics are often out of our minds as they move on to the next emergency.

If you ever felt you wish to thank these skilled, trained professionals who are challenged each day, then please consider making a donation directly to their Benevolent Fund to assist their members who may well need support due to accidents and illness encountered in their efforts to help others. Each day thousands of people view this website and if only a few are able to offer donations to the Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund (ASBF) then it will be hugely appreciated.

Please donate to this very worthy cause

https://www.theasc.org.uk/our-story/

HeartSafe® Testimonials

“I actually died on the squash court floor”

Here are some real-life stories of people who have been fortunate enough to have had their lives saved by a HeartSafe defibrillator after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.

The Sir Ranulph Fiennes Story – A Good Day to Die

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, as described by the Guinness Book of Records, is the greatest living explorer. In 1993 he became one of the first men to walk unaided across Antarctica, overcoming life-threatening situations in the process.

When you hear his name you think fitness and stamina but in June 2003 after boarding a flight to Edinburgh at Bristol Airport he suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Fortunately the Airport’s firefighters were able to revive Sir Ranulph using an Automatic External Defibrillator, a device that shocks the heart. He later underwent a double heart bypass operation at Bristol Royal Infirmary Hospital.

Sir Ranulph doesn’t remember anything three days prior to the attack as well as the three days after the attack, so his thoughts on his heart stopping are all second hand.

He says of the arrest “I know I am amazingly lucky to have had a Sudden Cardiac Arrest at an airport that had a defibrillator in easy reach and had the expert assistance of the Blue Watch of the Bristol Airport Fire Station who were able to attend immediately”.

“In future all expeditions I embark on will have a defibrillator as a standard kit along with morphine, a first aid kit etc”

“I also feel very lucky to be alive, because the truth is most people who suffer a Cardiac Arrest are not in hospital surrounded by doctors, but at home or in public places. Many do not survive because life-saving treatment simply does not come quickly enough”.

“The surgeons and firefighters who worked in me all say the key item in surviving a Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the availability of a defibrillator within 2 or 3 minutes. This means that defibrillators should be available in places where there are lots of people such as supermarkets, shopping centres, airports etc.”

“If you had a defibrillator, which is a small comparatively inexpensive item, set up in these places as it will make all the difference – I know because I’m alive because there was one at an airport”.

The Gary Humphries Story – “Kick Start your Heart!”

‘I actually died on the squash court floor’, said Gary of Caerphilly, South Wales.

Gary Humphries will never forget the time his heart stopped beating for more than two minutes as he played his weekly game of squash. The 49-year old suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the middle of a game in November 2003 and had no pulse or heartbeat.

Fortunately for Gary, he and his squash partner were playing at the Hawthorne Leisure Centre in Rhondda Cynon Taff, where a new type of resuscitation device was available.

The LIFEPAK™ defibrillator was put on his chest and moments later his heart was beating again.

Gary said: ‘I felt nothing, no pain or anything. In fact, I remember very little about it. I was clinically dead for 2 minutes. I would not have pulled through but for the defibrillator, and if we hadn’t gone to that particular Leisure Centre I’d be dead.”

7 out of 10 Cardiac Arrests such as that suffered by Gary, happen outside the hospital and only a tiny fraction of victims survive, largely because of the lack of rapidly available resuscitation equipment.

The chances of survival drop by up to 10% for every minute that goes by without treatment.

Less than 5% of people in the UK survive Cardiac Arrest outside hospital whereas the rate in Seattle climbed to 40% after defibrillators were been made available to the public.

Gary was playing against his friend and work colleague, Mike Smith, when he collapsed, and together they campaigned for a defibrillator to be installed at their workplace. Since Gary resumed work in September 2004, their employer, General Electric, has invested in a defibrillator.

HeartSafe® Sport Clubs

Let’s now make changes to avoid further lives being lost. Install a HeartSafe® cabinet and AED as part of this year’s training plan. Contact us now

Contact sports increase the chances of cardiac arrest.
Tens of thousands of people daily are involved in a sport, only a few per cent may be covered with an AED close to them.
Buy now from as little as £1,999 plus VAT, ensure a HeartSafe® cabinet package monitored and linked to the local Ambulance Trust, with the latest AED that provides live CPR feedback is watching over you on the sideline.
Whether it is football, rugby, cricket, tennis, bowls, swimming, a story can be told about every sport where a person has unnecessarily died of cardiac arrest as a defibrillator was not close to hand.
When reading this page, a person will come to mind who you would have heard of or known that would have had a cardiac arrest and sadly died. Regrettably, there are more stories told of people who have died than survived.
Help reverse this trend – deploy a defibrillator.Find out more

Fabrice Muamba former professional footballer suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a game and survived thanks to immediate medical care combined with the rise of a defibrillator

Long Ashton Golf Club

Shipston Leisure Centre

Swanage Sea Rowing Club

Branksome Chine

Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club

Yeovil Recreation Centre

Swanage Bowls Club

Mendip Golf Club

Keynsham RFC

Wellington Football Club

Claverham Cricket Club

Recent famous Sports personalities and celebrities that have suffered and survived an SCA include:-

Fabrice Muamba

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Bernard Gallacher

Sadly, famous people who died of cardiac arrest include:-

Michael Jackson

James Stewart

Carrie Fisher

Brittany Murphy

Christopher Reeve

Tommy Cooper

Mother Teresa

Tony Curtis

Bob Harpe

Who is at risk for SCA?

The size of your business and place of work may vary, and it is true to say the more people there are, the more chance a person may suffer an SCA.

The location where people are employed can increase the chances of an SCA, such places include:-

Very stressful public areas such as airports, train stations, shopping malls etc
Working outside in cold weather can influence the possibility of SCA such as building sites, agricultural industry etc.

SCA often occurs in active people who seem to be healthy and have no known medical conditions. In these patients, SCA is the first indication of a heart condition. However, some people can be identified in advance as being at risk for SCA. Risk factors include:-

Previous heart attack
Coronary artery disease (and risk factors for CAD including smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated LDL cholesterol, family history of heart disease, sedentary lifestyle)
Heart failure from other causes
Abnormal heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmia) of unknown cause
Episodes of fainting of unknown cause
Low ejection fraction (EF) (<35%)

Schools & Universities

Here are some locations where installations of HeartSafe® cabinets have been added, ranging from Primary education to Universities…

First School To Become HeartSafe

The first school to become HeartSafe® in 2007 was Chew Valley Secondary School, Chew Magna, BS40 8QB.

The pilot scheme that was established between AED Locator, Arrhythmia Alliance and Great Western Ambulance Service provided a HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator outside the school premises next to the Sports Centre.

During the first week, all students were spoken to at assembly and informed of the contents of the “green cabinet”. Demonstrations of CPR and the use of the defibrillator were given using the Headmaster Mr Mark Mallett as the patient.

Initially more thumbs were down than up when explaining the chain of survival to the students as to whether the Headmaster should be given a shock by a defibrillator!

One student was noted in stating that “don’t worry about security of the defibrillator and cabinet, now we know how important a defibrillator is for our friends and family, we will be your eyes and ears and look after the cabinet”. This message has been repeated a thousand times since that poignant moment.

The School now has 2 AEDs and staff and some students trained in CPR. The School has also offered its premises for HeartSafe® AED Locator to offer free CPR lessons to the community that covers over 20 Villages in the Chew Valley.

Hundreds of other Schools have subsequently followed the example that Chew Valley Secondary School set and throughout the UK more and more primary and secondary schools are deciding to have a defibrillator close by in case a child, student, staff member or visitor suffers an SCA.

Photographs of schools & universities with PADs

UWE Frenchay Students Union

Budmouth College

Alcesters Grammer School

John Mason School

St Joseph Primary School

UWE Frenchay Bus Building

UWE Frenchay Campus

Chew Valley Secondary School

Churchill Community School

Barrow Sixth Form College

Taunton School

UWE Centre for Sport

St Johns School, Bath

St Merryn School

Are children and the young affected by sudden cardiac arrest?

Arrhythmia Alliance has worked with experts to develop information sheets and booklets specifically for children. The booklets cover the basics of how the heart works and how to take a pulse. There are also booklets designed for children for whom an implantable device has been recommended by a clinician. Please click here to navigate, and to access detailed information on the heart and SCA Booklets for download.

According to Stuart Berger, MD, Associate Professor of Paediatrics and Cardiology at Children’s hospital of Wisconsin and SCA Foundation Advisor, hereditary heart conditions account for about two-thirds of all sudden cardiac arrest cases in young people. These include hypertrophic cadiomyopathy (HCM), which thickens the walls of the left ventricle, obstructing the flow of blood from the heart. HCM affects about 1 in 500 young people and is rarely diagnosed in advance of a cardiac event so it remains the most common cause of heart-related death in athletes and young people under 30.

HeartSafe Maintenance

Order your replacement electrode pads, batteries and consumables here

Maintenance Costs and Replacement of Consumables

Once the cabinet and AED have been installed, running costs are minimal. The cabinet requires a minuscule amount of electricity to power the internal light (which is only activated when the cabinet door is opened), thermostat and heater (to control the temperature of the interior cabinet in cold weather). The cabinet needs a 240V mains electrical supply to run the thermostat, heater and lighting; this is estimated at a few pounds per year. The premises owner should be informed of this cost when the placement of the cabinet is being evaluated.

AEDs have consumable components that will need replacing periodically or when they have been used. The frequency and cost of these varies depending on the make and model of AED.

You will need to identify who will cover the cost of replacing the consumable components (battery and pads) on their expiry.

If the pads are used on a patient, then your Ambulance Service may be willing to replace the pads but you will need to confirm this with them.

Should you need to replace the battery or electrode pads within the HeartSine range of AEDs, please contact us and we will be happy to supply these components to you.

What Happens When an AED is Used?

An AED when deployed has an internal memory showing an ECG of the patient and a recording of the event/incident. It has playback capabilities with a custom USB cable directly connected to PC and Windows-based data review software.

If your defibrillator is deployed and activated, it will be necessary to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in order that the defibrillator is recommissioned for further use. The advice may vary as per the different manufacturers defibrillator requirements. If you own or have used a HeartSine defibrillator, please click on one of the following HeartSine defibrillator model user guides to follow the recommended procedure.

HeartSine AED Product Manuals

HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P/360P/500P User Manual (UK) – H032-019-500-AG, 05/2023

HeartSine Pad-Pak and Pediatric-Pak Set-up (Multilingual) – H017-013-363-AF, 03/2023

Maintenance Supplement (Multilingual) – M0000019001-AA, 03/2024

HeartSine Trainer Product Manuals

HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P/360P/500P Trainer User Manual (UK) – M0000005801, 10/2022

HeartSine Trainer-Pak User Guide (UK) – H009-015-008-1, 04/2020

HeartSine Trainer Compliance w/Directive 2014/53/EU (Multilingual) – H001-011-032-AC, 08/2022

If the AED is taken to the scene of an incident but is not required, it should be returned to the cabinet either by the user or the Ambulance Service.
If the AED is required, either the Ambulance Service may take the AED with the patient to hospital or a representative of the Ambulance Service visits the incident and collects the AED from the persons involved with the incident or from the Ambulance crew or hospital. The HeartSine range of defibrillators have a 90 minute memory. When switched on and used, the defibrillator records the event. This information may be required by the Ambulance Service or hospital. Please refer to the HeartSine user manuals above for further information.
As part of the HeartSafe® defibrillator package, a deployment log is provided as part of the accessories to assist you to record a log of information of when the AED is used.

NHS Insurance Cover when an AED is Deployed under Instructions from the Emergency Services

The Chew Valley initiative, which commenced in 2007 in the Chew Valley region of North Somerset, was supported by the Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS). GWAS arranged with their insurers that the user deploying an AED from a cabinet anywhere in the region (i.e. Bristol, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire) is insured as he/she was acting as a “good Samaritan” under the Ambulance Service’s instruction as no other help from a trained professional is available.

The Ambulance Services recognise that early deployment of an AED combined with CPR when Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurs, is the only way of increasing the patient’s chances of survivial from under 5% to 50%. Therefore it is important to liaise with your local Ambulance Service to seek their support and help with your project from the outset, including advice regarding insurance cover.

Please click here should you wish to contact us for advice regarding the AED project in your community.

What type of ambulance response time will be given

The most serious life-threatening calls made to the Ambulance Service are dealt with first. Because of this, the Ambulance Trust prioritise calls into nationally-agreed categories. Please refer to your local Ambulance Trust website for information on response times and emergency procedures.

The Emergency Services will always do their best to arrive at an incident in the shortest possible time. However, if the incident occurs at a busy part of the day or weekend or weather and/or traffic problems delay the paramedics arriving within the 8-minute response time, the only way of helping to prevent a life being lost is to follow the chain of survival without delay and administer to the patient good quality CPR and use an AED.

HeartSafe Frequently Asked Questions

If your community does not have quick and easy access to a defibrillator, a life could be lost unnecessarily. Don’t delay, follow the HeartSafe® initiative and protect your family and friends.

What is a sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of premature death, but with immediate treatment many lives can be saved. SCA occurs because the electrical rhythm that controls the heart is replaced by a chaotic disorganised electrical rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). The quicker VF can be treated by defibrillation the greater the chance of successful resuscitation. Seconds count and the ambulance service is unlikely to arrive quickly enough to resuscitate most victims.

When does a sudden Cardiac Arrest strike?

Sudden cardiac arrest can occur at any time to anyone, of any age. It can occur suddenly, without warning. Research shows that SCAs outside of hospitals are most likely to occur in your home between midnight at 7 am. It is unpredictable. Following SCA the patient’s survival rate drops by 10% every minute without treatment to maintain blood circulation. In the UK, less than 5% of victims survive out of the hospital. Together with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation is the only way to re-establish the heart’s natural rhythm. This can only be done by early use of an AED and effective quality CPR.

There is a correlation that the likelihood of SCA increases with extreme weather temperature changes. Statistical evidence proves that in cold weather there is more likelihood of SCA occurring. All sports including contact sports may place people at a higher risk of SCA.

What are the facts about Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the single most significant cause of death – around 100,000 deaths per year are as a result of SCA. It is estimated 60,000 occur out of hospital. Less than 5% of sufferers survive a cardiac arrest. With the early use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and effective CPR, the survival rate can increase to 50%. There is a likelihood that cardiac arrests will occur within the population of one of our business/projects whilst workmen, professionals or visitors are on the premises/site.

Many SCA victims can be saved if persons nearby recognise what has happened, summon the ambulance service with the minimum of delay, perform basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (particularly chest compressions) and use an AED to provide a high energy electric shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. Each of these stages is a link in a chain of events that provide the best chance of success, but the critical factor is the speed with which the shock is given.

What is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

An AED is easy to use, compact, portable and very effective. They are designed to be used by laypersons; the device guides the operator through the process by verbal instructions and visual prompts. They are safe and will not allow a shock to be given unless the heart’s rhythm requires it. They are designed to be stored for long periods without use and require very little routine maintenance. Several models are available from the manufacturers or through medical equipment companies.

HeartSafe® recommend a British manufactured defibrillator, the HeartSine samaritan range. Click here to watch how a HeartSine AED is used in an emergency.

What are the features of an AED?

Defibrillators are manufactured in various countries around the world. It is important before a purchase is made that the defibrillator you choose conforms to the MDR Regulations. In May 2020 the MDR Regulations were due to take place however due to Covid-19 this has been postponed by 12 months. Always check with your supplier that your defibrillator is fit for the purpose for the period of warranty. Like with any medical product, there can be recalls and model changes.

Defibrillators have different features and warranty periods vary between 5-10 years. Be aware of the ongoing consumable costs which include the replacement of electro-pads and batteries. Be aware of any monitoring/maintenance requirements. Some defibrillators are able to record events, which can vary from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. Be aware of the expiry date of consumables. Electro-pads and batteries may expire at different dates between 2-5 years.

HeartSafe® AED Locator after research has chosen to recommend a British manufactured defibrillator, the HeartSine range. The 3 models 500P, 350P and 360P offer differing operational features but all have a 10-year warranty, exceptional low cost of operating with a free consumable offer for the 10 years of warranty along with a simple monitoring/maintenance program. Above all, it is having confidence in the defibrillator you choose. It will need to help you with the minimum of fuss and assist in the chain of survival when CPR is administered.

The early use of a defibrillator with effective quality CPR within a few minutes of a victim suffering a SCA can increase the odds of survival of the patient. Without the use of a defibrillator and CPR, the patient’s chances of survival are less than 5%. The use of a defibrillator and quality CPR within 3-4 minutes of the arrest occurring can increase the odds of success to 50-70%.

Purchasing a defibrillator can be confusing, as the technical ability and performance of the defibrillator may be only understood by trained personnel and salespersons! When in doubt, before the money is spent, we recommend you discuss with us your specific requirements of where your defibrillator is to be positioned and who it is likely to be used by. We will be happy to give you our advice before you commit to any purchase. Contact Us

How does an AED work?

A defibrillator, whether it is semi or fully automatic is designed to quickly deliver a defibrillation shock to victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Once the electro pads are placed on the victim’s chest, the defibrillator analyses the patient, looking for a shockable arrhythmia (bad heart rhythm). The defibrillator cannot be used incorrectly as it will only deliver a shock to the patient if it detects it is necessary. The electrical shock when administered is to re-establish normal heart rhythm. This treatment is called “defibrillation”. The use of an AED is part of the chain of survival.

Who can use an AED?

AEDs have been installed in many busy public places, workplaces, sports centres, schools and communities. Any location where the Emergency Services may be delayed, particularly remote country areas are the locations to be considered. The intention is to have quick access to the defibrillator and use the device to restart the heart as soon as possible. This strategy of placing AEDs in locations where they are used by laypersons near the arrest is known as public access defibrillation (PAD). HeartSafe® AED Locator is proud of its heritage over the last 12 years. It was the first organisation to place AEDs in public locations, supported by the Ambulance Trust. A pilot scheme in the Chew Valley area, west of Bristol Airport positioned 15 AEDs in purpose-built, designed secure cabinets. Awareness training was given to 15 Villages supported by Great Western Ambulance Service (now SWAST). To date, many thousands of cabinets have been located throughout the UK. The use of an AED is an extension of the first aid skills possessed by first aid personnel and other appointed persons.

However, HeartSafe’s continual efforts in making the use of defibrillators public to all have successfully allowed untrained persons who lack any medical skills to use the defibrillator in an emergency. It is for this reason that the HeartSine range of defibrillators has been chosen as it helps to ensure the layperson is guided through the CPR process and is encouraged to perform chest compressions of high quality. The device will provide you with spontaneous verbal feedback. The device has a 90-minute memory recording of the event and where multiple samaritans assist in giving CPR, each person is brought up to a quality level of CPR when following the feedback the device gives. HeartSafe® AED Locator encourages anyone to have a go and use a public access defibrillator when a person has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. When the victim shows that they are unresponsive/not breathing, an SCA may have occurred and the chain of survival should be followed.

Call 999
Start CPR
Switch on defibrillator
Follow its instructions

What is the "Chain of Survival" and what are the four links of the “Chain of Survival”?

The Chain of Survival is the series of actions necessary to help save the life of someone who has had a cardiac arrest. The four actions in the Chain are early recognition of the problem and calling 999; early CPR; early defibrillation; and effective post-resuscitation care. All four parts of the Chain are crucial in helping to save the life of a victim. See link to Chain of Survival (British Heart Foundation) for more information click here.

Legal Requirements

In the United Kingdom, there are very few legal barriers to public access defibrillators. A rescuer who has acted appropriately to help a victim of SCA should not be sued regardless of the outcome. Defibrillators are manufactured for public use. It is of course helpful if the person using the AED has knowledge of the chain of survival. However, the defibrillator is made for people with little or no training as well as trained personnel. When the device is switched on it will give verbal instructions for use. The HeartSine samaritan® PAD 500P speaks more and gives accurate feedback to rescuers on the effectiveness of the CPR they are providing to the victim. Recent successful “lives saved” using the 500P have even reported where 5 rescuers (Policemen) took in turn over 26 minutes before the paramedics were able to arrive, provided quality CPR ensuring the brain was not starved of oxygen due to the effectiveness of the feedback given by the device. The rescuers continued to push much harder and much faster than they thought possible. This led to a full recovery of the victim. This is just one of many cases where the feedback to the rescuers made all the difference to the survival of the victim.

HeartSafe Communities

Without immediate defibrillation and CPR when cardiac arrest occurs, the chances of survival are less than 5%. With a defibrillator being used on a patient the odds of survival can be increased to 50%.

Join The Community!

A HeartSafe® community is established when a group of people decide that they wish to reduce the odds of dying or not recovering fully from a cardiac arrest by installing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in a public place thereby giving 24-hour access to this life-saving equipment.

AED Locator promotes the placement of AEDs outdoors, in public places. PADs (Public Access Defibrillators) provide 24-hour access so that emergency life-saving equipment is available to everyone whenever it is needed. AEDs are housed in secure, weatherproof, heated cabinets on the exterior walls of buildings such as Post Offices, village halls, schools, Inns, sports centres etc. and other visible locations in the community.

Give your Cabinet Maximum Visibility!

An overhanging sign might be appropriate above the cabinet to increase its visibility. Signage could be placed around the locality identifying the location of the AED, for example, posters in shop windows with directions to the cabinet.The Department of Health and the NHS support the Restart the Heart campaign and AED placements in the community.

Mapping of your AED – we can upload your community’s AED to this website so that all AEDs are visible, monitored and can be tracked by anyone travelling or simply need to know where their nearest life-saving AED is located. This means that life-saving equipment will be available to the public each minute of every hour of each day of the year.

Promote PADs in your Community!

Villages and rural locations
Towns
Cities
Unusual sites (i.e. telephone box, Coastguard Lookout)

Villages and Rural Locations

Despite every effort and endeavour by ambulance paramedics, some emergency calls can take more than 10 minutes to arrive at an incident.
Rural communities and Villages are at greater risk when cardiac arrest occurs. Every effort is made to arrive at an incident within the Government recommended timescales of 8 minutes. When a cardiac arrest occurs every minute without the use of an AED can reduce chance of survival by 10%. When 10 minutes approaches, only effective CPR may prolong the chance of survival of the patient.
When a cardiac arrest occurs out of hospital the most likely place for it to happen is at home between midnight and 7am. The bedroom or bathroom is the likely place it occurs. Lay people are likely to obtain the AED and use it. The AED will only shock a patient if a shockable arrhythmia is detected. This may be approximately 50% of the time. If no arrhythmia is found, you must carry out CPR, to manually pump the patient’s heart until professional help arrives.
The quality of CPR generally is very poor. 70% of people who give it, including trained personnel, do so ineffectively, see link to Resuscitation Council link here.
Do not depend on someone’s memory of how CPR is performed having watched Casualty or the Vinnie Jones CPR Heart Advert, ensure you have the right type of defibrillator that gives you feedback as to the quality of CPR you are administering. In our view, the HeartSine Samaritan® PAD 500P is the best choice of defibrillator due to its unique patented impedance cardiogram.

Contact us to discuss your individual requirements – ensure you make the right decision. We are confident HeartSafe® will be the choice you make. Advanced technology with use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and good CPR can save a life.

Statement from: The Resuscitation Council (UK)

“It is the view of the Resuscitation Council (UK) that the use of AEDs should not be restricted to trained personnel. Furthermore, the Resuscitation Council (UK) considers that it is inappropriate to display notices to the effect that only trained personnel should use the devices, or to restrict their use in other ways. Such restrictions are against the interests of victims of cardiac arrest and discourage the greater use of AEDs by members of the public who may be able to preserve life and assist victims of cardiac arrest.” Click here to find out more.

Do not be satisfied in using any defibrillator. If you have a choice, and you are intending to invest for your community, research the benefits of an AED that provides live CPR feedback – see our recommended HeartSafe® package.

Rural communities are now taking steps to help provide another layer of “insurance” to increase the odds of survival. A small investment in ensuring your village and community becomes HeartSafe® may prevent an unnecessary life being lost.

HeartSafe® Businesses

Not a day passes when national newspapers or television channels report on a newsworthy named person having died unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest.

However, consider an ordinary person who dies of a cardiac arrest at work, Policeman, Postman, office worker, builder, teacher, the list is endless. A Google search will always retrieve a sad incident of a person dying unexpectedly in any job or profession.

Fabrice Muamba, former professional footballer suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a game and survived thanks to immediate medical care combined with the use of a defibrillator!

These headlines can only be surpassed when a notable person recovers from a cardiac arrest having had the good fortune of immediate help from “samaritans” who by chance happen to be close by. They were able to provide good CPR whilst the Emergency Services were en-route to the incident and by even more good fortune, a nearby AED was available and used on the patient which enabled the heart to restart in normal rhythm.

Fabrice Muamba, former professional footballer suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a game and survived thanks to immediate medical care combined with the use of a defibrillator!

Causes of a SCA

The size of your business and place of work may vary and it is true to say the more people there are, the more chance a person may suffer an SCA.

The location where people are employed can increase the chances of an SCA, such places include:-

very stressful public areas such as airports, train stations, shopping malls etc
Working outside in cold weather can influence the possibility of SCA such as building sites, agricultural industry etc

Recent famous Sports personalities and celebrities that have suffered and survived an SCA include:

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Bernard Gallacher

Fabrice Muamba

Who is at risk for SCA?

SCA often occurs in active people who seem to be healthy and have no known medical conditions. In these patients, SCA is the first indication of a heart condition. However, some people can be identified in advance as being at risk for SCA. Risk factors include:-

Previous heart attack
Coronary artery disease (and risk factors for CAD including smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated LDL cholesterol, family history of heart disease, sedentary lifestyle)
Heart failure from other causes
Abnormal heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmia) of unknown cause
Episodes of fainting of unknown cause
Low ejection fraction (EF) (<35%)

Sadly, famous people who died of cardiac arrest include:-

Michael Jackson

James Stuart

Christopher Reeve

Mother Teresa

Tony Curtis

Brittany Murphy

Share the chance to save a life!

Whatever your business, whatever the number of staff you employ, no one person is immune to cardiac arrest. Investing in a HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator will provide that extra layer of insurance that one day may be necessary should an employee suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Why HeartSafe®

Why be a HeartSafe® Community... A Great British Partnership

Helping your community to become HeartSafe® and installing a Public Access Defibrillator has now become the norm not the exception.

A British company, HeartSafe® AED Locator, the foremost PAD installer in the UK recommends HeartSine Technologies Ltd, the UK’s only defibrillator manufacturer with a range of life-saving samaritan® AEDs. A unique combination of easy to use defibrillators featuring the World’s first live CPR feedback, designed for use by lay people or trained personnel. Combining guardian supported HeartSafe® cabinets that are prominently positioned, ensuring that your community has immediate access to an AED in the event of a person suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest.

Making Changes

The policies adopted by the Ambulance Trusts in the UK regarding public access defibrillators may vary in each of the regions and the policies may change and vary. Most Ambulance Trusts have a 200-metre radius of the location of the public access defibrillator being highlighted when an emergency call to the Ambulance Service has been made reporting an incident of a sudden cardiac arrest. However, the distance may vary depending on the Trust. It has been reported a Trust has a 500-metre radius and other Trusts may have a different distance in rural locations.

We wish to point out that we cannot be held responsible for providing this information where changes of distance and procedures of the Ambulance Trusts providing assistance when offering PAD locations may vary.

We always endeavour to provide information which is accurate. We would suggest that you make contact with your local Ambulance Trust and inform them of your intention to place a PAD in your community. Many thousands of sites have been created with the help of HeartSafe® / AED Locator. You may wish to refer to the installations that HeartSafe® have made to assist in understanding your project.

Many of the successful life-saving locations HeartSafe® AED Locator have been responsible for, working in conjunction with NHS Ambulance Services throughout the UK are listed below. The numbers are growing every day. Join with us and make the UK a safer place to live for our families and friends.

Chain of Survival... something we all should know

Early access to care – dial 999 immediately!
Early Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) – to help maintain blood flow to the brain until the arrival of defibrillation.
Early defibrillation – is the only way to restart a heart in cardiac arrest.
Early advanced care – after defibrillation, an emergency team provides advanced cardiac care on scene, such as intravenous medications.

Communities

Help can take longer to arrive the further away you are from medical facilities.

Villages, hamlets, rural locations
Any out of the way area, hills, fells, beaches, coastal paths
Inexpensive investment in the latest technology can help save a life

Sport clubs

A sudden cardiac arrest is more likely to occur when participating in active sports.

Anyone, fit or unfit, young or old can suffer an SCA
Installations already cover Golf Clubs, Rugby Clubs, Sports and Leisure Centres
Protecting your members, visitors and staff

Schools

Young children, students and teachers....any age are vulnerable.

Schools, nurseries, colleges, activity and outward bound centres.
University Campus Sites
Ensure you have an AED close by to protect your loved ones.

Businesses

Workplace stress can be a contributing factor for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Places of work are not immune but often are out of reach of immediate medical help
Town Halls, factories, city office blocks
Industrial estates, farms, transport links, Doctors surgeries

Defibrillator Comparison

HeartSine® is the pioneer of clinically advanced automated external defibrillators for the workplace, public access and home.

HeartSine SAM 350P

HeartSine SAM 360P

HeartSine SAM 500P

HeartSine Defibrillators

How Does The HeartSine 500P Defibrillator Work?

Our Most Requested Defibrillator

Defibrillation is easy, CPR is the hard part. The HeartSine samaritan PAD 500P provides all the advantages of the 300P/350P with the addition of an innovative CPR Advisor. Regardless of whether it is a lay person or a professional rescuer, the AHA/ERC guidelines place a greater emphasis on the importance of CPR and advocate the prompt initiation of effective bystander CPR to significantly reduce mortality due to out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Bleed Kit Limpet Model 1

Bleed Kit Standalone Model 2

Community Bleed Control Kit

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AED

About HeartSafe®

Protect lives & make your community HeartSafe®

Why HeartSafe®

Expertise to Guide You in Choosing the Right AED

Easy to Use, British Manufactured, CE rated, Stainless Steel, AED Cabinets

The Chew Valley Initiative 2007... how it all began

2020 - 2021 - Covid-19

How We Can Help You in your Community...

Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund

HeartSafe® Testimonials

The Sir Ranulph Fiennes Story – A Good Day to Die

The Gary Humphries Story – “Kick Start your Heart!”

HeartSafe® Sport Clubs

Long Ashton Golf Club

Shipston Leisure Centre

Swanage Sea Rowing Club

Branksome Chine

Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club

Yeovil Recreation Centre

Swanage Bowls Club

Mendip Golf Club

Keynsham RFC

Wellington Football Club

Claverham Cricket Club

Recent famous Sports personalities and celebrities that have suffered and survived an SCA include:-

Sadly, famous people who died of cardiac arrest include:-

Who is at risk for SCA?

Schools & Universities

First School To Become HeartSafe

Photographs of schools & universities with PADs

UWE Frenchay Students Union

Budmouth College

Alcesters Grammer School

John Mason School

St Joseph Primary School

UWE Frenchay Bus Building

UWE Frenchay Campus

Chew Valley Secondary School

Churchill Community School

Barrow Sixth Form College

Taunton School

UWE Centre for Sport

St Johns School, Bath

St Merryn School

Are children and the young affected by sudden cardiac arrest?

HeartSafe Maintenance

Maintenance Costs and Replacement of Consumables

What Happens When an AED is Used?

NHS Insurance Cover when an AED is Deployed under Instructions from the Emergency Services

What type of ambulance response time will be given

HeartSafe Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sudden Cardiac Arrest?

When does a sudden Cardiac Arrest strike?

What are the facts about Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

What is an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

What are the features of an AED?

How does an AED work?

Who can use an AED?

What is the "Chain of Survival" and what are the four links of the “Chain of Survival”?

Legal Requirements

HeartSafe Communities

Join The Community!

Give your Cabinet Maximum Visibility!

Promote PADs in your Community!

Villages and Rural Locations

Statement from: The Resuscitation Council (UK)

HeartSafe® Businesses

Causes of a SCA

Recent famous Sports personalities and celebrities that have suffered and survived an SCA include:

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Bernard Gallacher

Fabrice Muamba

Who is at risk for SCA?

Sadly, famous people who died of cardiac arrest include:-

Michael Jackson