Kevin Dickens (First Aid Night)

Kevin Dickens has been an ambulance driver with The South Western Ambulance NHS trust for thirty years, and also was on rugby match first aid cover for many years.

Firstly he gave a general outline about the trust - the largest in England covering Glos, Wilts, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, and including the Isles of Scilly. Demand for the service is increasing daily, especially for cardio pulmonary resuscitation, to the extent that it would now be a good idea to increase the availability of Community Defibrilators in places such as hotels, sports grounds, libraries, large shops, stations, and so on. As there is no statutory duty to do this, Club's recent defib gifts to Gloucester Art College and Gloucester Golf Club were therefore right up to the mark.

Essentially CPR should be given immediately to collapsed individuals who do not have a pulse in order for the use of the defibrillator to be successful when it arrives at the scene.  The best results are obtained if CPR is given straightaway (a must), and the defib is used within 8 minutes of collapse.  Hence the need for community defibs, especially in rural areas.

Obviously the faster all this happens the better, and Air Ambulance helicopters have made a huge difference with the specialist skills available in the crews. The geographical situation is key so  county ambulances also play a vital part in saving lives.

Of course one of the main breakthroughs in recent years has been the development of the defibrillators themselves to what is now an idiot proof piece of kit.  It monitors its own performance and instructs the operator in every detail of safe CPR, and defibrillation of the fibrillating heart.

This short talk covered a lot of ground and aroused much interest in Club, with many questions which Kevin fielded brilliantly.  It is very reassuring to know that this kit works so well, indeed the constantly increasing professionalism of Kevin and his colleagues is outstanding and clearly we in this county owe a debt of gratitude to the SW Ambulance NHS.

Peter Burton