The district of Giessen and Stadtwerke Giessen AG (SWG), together with the local rescue services and fire brigades, are supporting the Herz-Retter campaign with the aim of equipping the region with so-called defibrillators (AED - Automated External Defibrillator) across the board. The district administration has already installed one of the devices at the service point and more will follow. SWG has also been using an AED at the Ringallee swimming centre since May of this year and will soon be installing another one at the SWG information centre on Marktplatz and at the head office in Lahnstrasse, while another DEFI is being used to protect breathing apparatus wearers during training at the breathing apparatus training facility at the Giessen professional fire brigade so that the life-saving device can be used skilfully in an emergency to save lives. A total of 30 employees from the district administration, the Giessen professional fire brigade and SWG were made fit for action by those involved in the Herz-Retter campaign. At the municipal utilities, Dr Klaus Döring, emergency doctor Martin Caspari, Sabine Gräf-Brosche and Anne Bietz showed the participants what measures need to be taken. In doing so, they also refreshed the life-saving emergency measures of the interested guests. After the rescuer has alerted the emergency services in an emergency (emergency number: 112) and gained an overview of the patient's condition, the situation may require the AED to be used. Defibrillators are used to interrupt the life-threatening ventricular fibrillation of the heart, which occurs in around 90 per cent of all people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest. The cause is often a heart attack. Only a specifically triggered electric shock can bring the disturbed heart rhythm back into rhythm and thus get the heart beating again. The device is easy to use. Simply switch it on, attach the electrodes to the patient and follow the instructions on the device. Nobody needs to worry about doing something wrong when using the AED. This is because the electric shock is only triggered if the device has actually detected ventricular fibrillation. The faster the defibrillator is used, the greater the chances of survival for the victim.
22.11.2004