Own a defibrillator? Connect it to The Circuit – Aero Healthcare 

Save lives by registering your defibrillator on The Circuit today.

Only 9% of people survive sudden cardiac arrest when there is limited access to life-saving treatment available. Connecting your defibrillator to The Circuit will increase this.

Only 9% – that’s how many of the seven million sudden cardiac arrest sufferers worldwide survive each year. Over 30,000 of these occur within the UK alone, so what can we do to improve this figure? 

As a nation, we need to do more. Alongside knowledge and awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, we need to invest time in connecting existing defibrillators to The Circuit so we can reduce the number of preventable deaths. Many businesses and local authorities now own or house a defibrillator on their premises, but it could be doing so much more with The Circuit. Getting it connected to The Circuit could save someone’s life. 

At Aero Healthcare, we’re on a mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths and increase device registrations for The Circuit. Your actions today could save a life, so will you join us? 

What is The Circuit? 

Created to assist emergency services and first responders, The Circuit contains a network of registered defibrillators across the UK.  

When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, The Circuit enables emergency services, first responders and bystanders, to locate an active device nearby. Those attending the scene before medical attention arrives will liaise with the 999 call handler to retrieve the device location and an unlocking code. As ambulance response times can vary based on location or other emergency situations, for example, a publicly accessible defibrillator (PAD/AED) could be the potentially life-saving treatment someone urgently needs. 

Around 84% of sudden cardiac arrest cases occur away from a healthcare setting. Cardiac arrest can strike anyone at any given time, which makes easy access to a defibrillator device potentially lifesaving. That’s why The Circuit exists – to give those suffering from sudden cardiac arrest the best possible chance of survival. 

How does The Circuit work? 

Once a device has been registered and accepted onto The Circuit, it will be visible for emergency services to use. Bystanders and civilians on the scene are normally the first to contact emergency services. As they connect with a 999 call handler, information will be given towards the location of the nearest device alongside a code to unlock the cabinet (if required). 

During this time, a civilian, bystander or first responder can retrieve the device, if it is safe to do so, whilst CPR is started. If your device is chosen, you’ll receive a notification from The Circuit as well as event details that will indicate if electrode pads or batteries need to be changed. 

After the event has occurred and data is taken from the device, it can be returned back to its wall bracket or cabinet. Defibrillators do not need to be disposed of after use, but replacement pads will need to be purchased and replaced before it can be used again. 

How can connecting a defibrillator to The Circuit reduce the number of preventable deaths? 

Many businesses are now taking the conscious decision to become Heart Safe Employers by investing in a defibrillator. There are many solutions for those who are planning to enhance their health and safety on-site with a defibrillator solution. Anyone with a registered device, or who is planning to install a device, can sign-up for The Circuit.  

After Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during Euro 2021, it highlighted to millions around the world that sudden cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate. Fortunately, his survival made many cautious about the condition.  

In fact, in response to the event, there was a growing concern towards the lack of readily available devices. There’s no reason why compact and easy-to-use, life-saving treatment can’t be accessible; they should be everywhere for public use. 

Access to a defibrillator can increase the chance of survival by up to 75%, which makes knowing the location of your nearest device imperative. Unfortunately, without life-saving treatment, life expectancy could decrease by an alarming 10% for every minute wasted.  

As the UK’s primary supplier of HeartSine® Samaritan® defibrillators, we recommend that active and ready-to-use devices are as accessible as possible when an emergency strikes. The furthest a defibrillator should be is within a 90-second brisk walk of an incident. 

So, what does this mean for The Circuit and first responders? Simply put, the more devices registered around the UK, the more likely a first-aider can proceed with life-saving treatment other than CPR.  

Waiting for an ambulance to arrive with a defibrillator is not the best course of action, especially when response times for Category 1 emergencies average around eight and a half minutes.

What type of defibrillator can be added to The Circuit? 

As most businesses are likely to purchase either a semi-automatic or fully automatic defibrillator (dependent on their needs), these are perfect additions to the network. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be medically trained to use a defibrillator, and this is especially reflected in public access devices. The defibrillators available are designed to put those without medical training at ease, removing any unnecessary anxiety from an already high-stress situation. It’s often the case that the first people responding to the scene are those without any form of professional first aid training, making easy-to-use devices vital as part of the chain of survival. 

Fully automatic defibrillators are ideal for those with very limited training and experience around defibrillation. Through prompts, such as pad placement, they ensure first-aiders are supported within the moment, which makes them ideal for The Circuit. 

 Likewise, semi-automatic devices will offer the same functionality but will prompt the person using the defibrillator to administer the shock with a press of a button.  As first aid training is often optional, it’s highly likely that those who are first to respond to an incident will not be medical professionals. 

Does it cost to connect a defibrillator to The Circuit? 

Registering your device on The Circuit is free, after all, it’s needed for emergency support. However, the cost of the device, maintenance and accessories is something you’ll need to cover. 

Before signing-up, you’ll need to ensure your device is in the best shape by checking expiration dates and that the device has no damages or missing equipment. In the long run, The Circuit will send you reminders about expiring equipment and maintenance, which saves you time.  

As part of the sign-up process, you’ll need to disclose whether you are a guardian over single or multiple devices and have their brand name and numbers handy. Information such as days and times accessible, and location, will be stored on the database.  

What happens if the defibrillator can’t be accessed at certain times? 

Simply put, it won’t be used. As part of the sign-up process, you’ll need to dictate if your defibrillator is available 24/7 or only accessible at certain times of the day. Whenever a call comes in for sudden cardiac arrest, the handlers will locate active defibrillators on the map and will advise first responders of the nearest device. 

As part of the incentive to sign up, those who manage business-based defibrillators will receive notifications for maintenance work and upcoming expiration dates, making the process of owning a defibrillator much easier. It’s the goal for The Circuit to have as much choice available as possible, so they are just as invested in your device being up-to-date and usable as it could save a life. 

Why is registering your defibrillator important to us at Aero Healthcare? 

We’ve worked in collaboration with local authorities, charities and emergency service providers since 2008 to ensure suitable defibrillator devices are available to the public. Through our work with Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), we’ve increased the number of defibrillators available to police first responders. Before we started this work, the survival rate was just 9% in London. Since then, the initiative has already saved a number of lives. 

Registering a device on The Circuit could save someone’s life. Sadly, too many lives are lost simply because access to the right treatment isn’t available. That’s why registering your defibrillator could make the difference. The devices included on The Circuit are made accessible to emergency services and first responders attending scenes where a casualty is suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. With defibrillators able to increase the chance of survival by up to 75%, it’s a simple act like this that can help to save lives and reduce the number of preventable deaths. 

Want to add a defibrillator to The Circuit? Unsure which is the right choice for you? 

At Aero Healthcare, want to reduce the number of preventable deaths and ensuring enough defibrillators are available on The Circuit is one way to do this. If you’re interested in owning a defibrillator for your business, and supporting the community, one of our team will be more than happy to help.