Defibrillators

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high-energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is having a heart attack.

Locating Defibrillators

You can locate your nearest defibrillator on The Circuit Defib finder website. This database is also used in an emergency by Yorkshire Ambulance Service to direct you to a defibrillator when you call 999.

Defibrillators are normally located in workplaces, schools, and public spaces (such as shopping centres and train stations). These defibrillators are known as community public access defibrillators (CPADs) as anyone can use them. The defibrillator or the case it sits in may say ‘AED’ [which stands for Automated External Defibrillation] or ‘defibrillator’. These defibrillators are simple to use as they contain speakers which verbally inform the user what to do.

Defibrillators can also be found in medical practices and some pharmacies as a part of their medical emergency kits, these are normally only available during practice business hours and will need a member of staff to retrieve.

By performing CPR and using a defibrillator, you’ll give someone the best possible chance of survival.

Registering Defibrillators

If you have a defibrillator in your workplace, school or local community, don’t forget to register it with The Circuit national registration network so that ambulance dispatchers know it’s available to help save lives!

It is essential that the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust knows the locations of all defibrillators so that staff in the Emergency Operations Centre can direct 999 callers to them, should a patient suffer a heart attack nearby. At the moment, many defibrillators never get used because emergency services do not know where they are or how to access them. This can cost lives and that is why registering defibrillators with The Circuit is so vital.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service are now using The Circuit system, so set up your account on The Circuit, and register your defibrillator using the link below:

You can now add business/ access hours when you register your defibrillator.

You can find out more by visiting the British Heart Foundation website or St Johns Ambulance FAQs page.

Buying a defibrillator

If you are considering buying a defibrillator for your community, please contact the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Community Resilience Department in the first instance. You can email yas.aed@nhs.net or phone 0333 1300516.

The British Heart Foundation have information about writing a business case, arranging CPR training and keeping your defibrillator maintained so it’s ready to respond to a cardiac arrest for businesses, or about fundraising, where to put it and how to maintain it so it's always ready to save a life for local community groups and charities. You can contact the BHF for advice and information about getting a defibrillator.

At the moment, BHF are not running their part-funding scheme for PADs but they ask those interested to continue to check the relevant website (BHF - Apply for a public access defibrillator) for when they reopen the scheme to applications.

St John Ambulance offer an online guide for first-time buyers including a comparison chart of different makes and models.