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Defibrillators

Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) can be found in public spaces like your local shopping centre, gym, train station or village hall.

When you dial 999 to report that someone has collapsed, the operator will advise you where your nearest PAD is. The operator will stay on the phone whilst you help the individual but the defibrillator also gives clear verbal instructions and is very easy to use.

The defibrillator won’t deliver a shock if the person’s heart is beating and it won’t work if the pads haven’t been positioned correctly so you can’t harm anyone.

If your organisation or group owns a PAD, please ensure you register it on The Circuit (www.thecircuit.uk) so it can be easily located by the ambulance service.

The Defib Finder website has an interactive map showing the location of PADS that have been registered on The Circuit https://www.defibfinder.uk

What if there isn't a defibrillator in my local area?

Buy a defibrillator to donate

Individuals or communities can buy defibrillators to donate to their local area. This is what a member of the public did in February 2016 after he recovered from a cardiac arrest. The defibrillator is installed at the West Street entrance to Swan Walk in Horsham ready to save more lives.

South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) are recommending the WelMedical iPAD SP1 defibrillator to community groups. Ideally the PAD should be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in an unlocked cabinet in a prominent location that is easy for any member of the public to find in an emergency.  For further help or advice please contact SECamb.

Apply for British Heart Foundation funding

You can also apply for a part-funded defibrillator from the British Heart Foundation.

Apply for a public access defibrillator

Become a Community First Responder

If you have some spare time you may like to think about volunteering to be a Community First Responder (CFR). CFRs are volunteer members of their community who are trained to respond to emergency calls in conjunction with the South East Coast Ambulance Service. As they respond in the local areas where they live and work they are able to attend the scene of an emergency within a few minutes, and often before the emergency service arrives. They are able to offer life-saving first aid further increasing the patient’s chances of survival.

Find out about being a Community First Responder on the South East Coast Ambulance Service website.