You might've noticed brightly coloured cabinets signposting AEDs (defibrillators) on your high street or in old telephone boxes. They are life-saving devices which 999 might instruct you to use on someone experiencing a cardiac emergency. Seconds count in an emergency, so knowing where your nearest defibrillator is could make a huge difference.
According to St John Ambulance, the majority of the British public do not feel confident using a defibrillator - only one in ten people they surveyed responded they felt prepared to step in in an emergency.
AEDs are intended to be easy to use in an emergency and 999 will give you clear instruction, so you don't need to feel nervous. St John Ambulance say that quick, decisive action is essential for ensuring the best chance of survival. If there is no AED immediately available, you can keep a person alive by performing CPR until a defibrillator becomes available or the emergency services take over.
As someone who's documented hostile environments across the world, Ross Kemp knows firsthand how important acting quickly in an emergency is. He's part of a campaign to encourage more of the British public to feel confident stepping in in a cardiac emergency.
We spoke to Ross and St John Ambulance first aider Flora about their tips on how to feel more confident in emergency situations
Ross: On average, it takes about seven minutes for an ambulance toget to a serious incident.
Flora: Seconds really matter in an emergency.
Ross: What we've found is that 42% of the British public are worried aboutthey'll make the situation worse than it is.
Flora: Often people are like, "Oh, I don't know if they're breathing. Idon't know whether I'm going to hurt them more.
Ross: Well, the fact is, you can't get much worse than it already is.As long as you're not putting yourself in danger by interceding, then, get in there.
Flora: And we can stop either potentially someone dying or them needing ablood transfusion and using vital resources that we have limited supplies on.
Ross: What we want to do with the Nationwide campaign is makeeverybody a first responder, and you don't need to be a doctor ora nurse, or even to qualified as a first responder in order to savesomebody's life. In the case of a defibrillator, it is a very easypiece of kit to use. As soon as you turn it on, it starts talking toyou. It tells you exactly what to do. First thing you need to do isyou call 999. Tell them what the situation is. Assess if there isany danger to you, and then listen to what they have to say toyou. They will give you the codes to the boxes that are on thefront of those branches. What you have to do is stay calm and themachine will tell you everything you need to do. Plus, you'll havethe 999 responder on the phone to you. And what you're doing isyou're keeping that that that patient, hopefully , in a conditionthat when the emergency services get there, they can keep thatperson alive. You don't have to feel in any way vulnerable aboutstepping in or guilty about stepping in. As long as it's a safeenvironment to do so, you will make a massive difference to thatperson.
What's an AED device?
AEDs (Automated External Defibrillator) are intended for the public to use in a cardiac arrest emergency. According to St John's Ambulance, using a defibrillator within three to five minutes of collapse can increase survival rates by as much as 50–70%.
You don't even need to have training in first aid to use them. The machine has visual cues and verbal prompts to instruct you. You just need to stay calm and follow its direction.
Although they are intended for anyone to use, it's really important to know the correct techniques for resuscitation and when to use an AED.
You can learn either by attending a basic first aid course - many of which are free - or by watching CPR demonstration videos from St John's Ambulance or the NHS.
Where can I find a defibrillator?
AED devices can often be found in sports venues and leisure centres, shopping centres and other public buildings. You might even have one in your workplace. In some remote villages, where paramedics may take longer to reach in an emergency, they are sometimes installed in old telephone boxes.
Some AED's are located in cabinets with a code lock. When you ring 999, you might be required to provide the operator with the number of the defibrillator, usually on a clearly visible label on the cabinet, this is to allow them to identify it and give you the correct code.
As part of a campaign to make life-saving equipment (like AEDs or bleed-control kits) more visible, Nationwide Building Society have partnered with Visa to install them outside all 605 of their branches. They're also supporting St John Ambulance to offer first-aid training sessions to communities across the UK.
Campaign spokesperson Ross Kemp told us how 42% of the British public are worried about making an emergency situation worse than it might already appear.
But quick intervention could make a huge difference. St John Ambulance say that quick and decisive action in administering a defibrillator could potentially save someone's life.
Summary
You don't need to be a medical expert to help save a life
Learning the basics of CPR can help you act quickly in an emergency
Take a different approach when performing CPR on a child or baby
The emergency services will talk you through step-by-step if you ever need to use an AED (defibrillator) or bleed kit
Taking part in first-aid training or watching demonstrations helps to build confidence
The guidance in this article is not intended to replace medical advice. If you suspect someone is having a cardiac arrest, or any other kind of medical emergency, call 999 immediately and follow their instructions.
For wellbeing support, visit BBC Action Line.
The NHS offers detailed guidance for how to perform CPR.
For detailed guidance and videos, visit St John Ambulance dedicated pages for performing CPR on children and babies.
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