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  • Jules she/herafewbugs@social.coop
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:06 AM

    There's a poll going round the Fedi at the moment about whether you would be able to use an AED/defibrillator on a woman having a heart attack and a lot of people are commenting they'd let the trained person who brought it use it. In the UK at least you don't need to wait for ambulance staff to bring it, they're in lots of public locations like stations, shopping centres and churches. In an emergency if you're on the phone to the ambulance service they will tell you where the nearest one is, but if you want to familiarise yourself with the locations of nearby ones just to be prepared you can see them here: defibfinder.uk/

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Replies

  • #BlindAltBotanantagd@ieji.de
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:10 AM

    @afewbugs
    I was instructed in this and our instructor told us: that person is already dead so do everything you must.

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  • Jenjetlagjen@gts.phillipsuk.org
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:28 AM

    @anantagd @afewbugs that's what I was taught, too.

    CPR and using a defibrillator give the person a very small chance of recovering, and that is far, far better than the zero chance they have otherwise.

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  • Robin the Witchrobinthewitch@gamerstavern.online
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:13 AM

    @afewbugs the public style ones are designed for anyone to use them and have audio prompts. They won't shock if there is a detected heartbeat and broken ribs from bad CPR can heal, a dead person not so much.

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  • Tim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPETimWardCam@c.im
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:16 AM

    @robinthewitch @afewbugs A girl turned up at a party at my house one day, got herself a large drink and announced "I broke someone's rib today".

    She was a nurse - we gathered that whilst breaking someone's rib in the course of saving their life worked as per training, in this case at least, it wasn't an everyday activity.

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  • Rachel Lawsonrachel@norfolk.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:13 AM

    @afewbugs not only that but all of the AEDs in the UK public places have a voice instruction telling you exactly where to place the pads and do a check before applying a charge, anyway. They are really well designed.
    (And I would literally have been practising with one today if I wasn’t missing my Overland Guide Association (theoga.info/) course today through covid 🤒

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  • Jules she/herafewbugs@social.coop
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:18 AM

    @rachel eurgh, there's a nasty strain going around at the moment, sorry to hear you've come down with it. Hope you feel better soon!

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  • Emily_Semily_s@mastodon.me.uk
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:21 AM

    @afewbugs there are also quite a lot in office buildings and places generally not open to the public. The building we have our repair cafe in usually has one, but its not on the map as its not public.

    If you work somewhere regularly it is worth finding out where the first aid stuff is just in case. Would be bad to run down the road to the nearest public one when there is one in the next office.

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  • Petra van CronenburgNatureMC@mastodon.online
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:41 AM

    @afewbugs That poll is quite separated between the US and Europe. In France, these defibrillators are also placed everywhere. And every building with public is obliged to have a security plan in the entry and on each level that shows all important things.
    *Everybody* can use a defibrillator, the machine tells you (yes, it talks) what to do. Every second counts for life saving.
    But a training in first aid can help you against panic.

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  • Quixoticgeekquixoticgeek@v.st
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:58 AM

    @NatureMC @afewbugs the only problem there is the machines are monolingual. If I'm travelling and someone collapses and I need to use a aed, I'm not sure I'd understand the German or french or Spanish instructions.

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  • IcooIeyIcooIey@mastodon.green
    Oct 16, 2026, 11:19 AM

    @quixoticgeek @NatureMC @afewbugs Sure. But every AED I’ve seen (have trained with them for decades) has easy to understand numbered pictures and if it’s set up incorrectly, it won’t function. The biggest delay is usually a group of people standing around waiting for someone else to act. If you start acting, even with a language barrier, that will break that and if another person is there and understands the language, they would then step in to help.

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  • Petra van CronenburgNatureMC@mastodon.online
    Oct 16, 2026, 12:13 PM

    @IcooIey I see it like you. Working in a French museum, I once looked at ours because my medicine French is not the best. But that machine comes also with simple international icons you can understand without language knowledge.
    And like you say: the worst that could happen is that it doesn't work if you use it wrong.
    Mostly you have other people around you. Shout how they could help you. That someone phones the urgency number etc.
    Looking at a machine before, helps

    @quixoticgeek @afewbugs

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  • IcooIeyIcooIey@mastodon.green
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:22 PM

    @NatureMC @quixoticgeek @afewbugs this is a really good point too. A simple way to reduce hesitancy is for organizations or businesses that have AED’s to provide training in their use. Or at least, an orientation- where the device is, when its use is needed, how even an untrained person could safely use in an emergency.

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  • AprazethAprazeth@mstdn.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:52 PM

    @IcooIey @quixoticgeek @NatureMC @afewbugs

    Every AED follows the same pattern: without knowing the language you can safely use it.

    When it is preparing to shock you will hear a loud charging sound getting louder. That is your queue to let go. No language needed

    When you hear the rhythm (badum badum badum) perform CPR

    If unsure call emergency number and they should be able to guide you

    Also, police cars in NL have AED as well (just remembered)

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  • Keithkeefeglise
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:42 AM

    @afewbugs That's a rather sobering toot. If you wait for a trained person to bring a defibrillator it'll be too late. And you don't need any training to use one at all. Anyone can use it. The defibrillator talks you through all the steps including compressions and rescue breaths. The pads have diagrams...

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  • BashStKidBashStKid@mastodon.online
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:57 AM

    @afewbugs Boosting for maximum visibility!

    Absolutely, never ‘wait for a trained professional’, get in there with the helpful defibrillator.

    I suspect this indicates that first aid training in schools and the workplace is a lot poorer than it should be.

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  • Jules she/herafewbugs@social.coop
    Oct 16, 2026, 10:59 AM

    @BashStKid I really think it should be taught in schools and workplaces rather than something most people have to pay privately to get

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  • IcooIeyIcooIey@mastodon.green
    Oct 16, 2026, 11:14 AM

    @afewbugs @BashStKid I think some of the reluctance to acting is fear of liability (either for inappropriate touching, or injuring someone through misuse). In the US, at least, while laws differ between states, Good Samaritan laws protect people who take good faith action to help. Though, on the flip side, people are also legally protected when they DON’T act to help. There is no legal duty to help save a life (though there may be a moral one.)

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  • IcooIeyIcooIey@mastodon.green
    Oct 16, 2026, 11:14 AM

    AED’s are pretty simple to use. I agree that providing training to more people is the best way to get over the hesitation of using one. It’s really amazing how the bigger the group, the less likely people are to act in an emergency. Everyone assumes someone else will, meanwhile a persons life is at stake every second of delay.

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  • BashStKidBashStKid@mastodon.online
    Oct 16, 2026, 11:46 AM

    @afewbugs I may be showing my age, then, as I did learn first aid in school, in Scouts, and at work.
    The most important lesson being don’t be scared, take care, but try to help.

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  • Catherine is not complacentCatDragon@mastodon.world
    Oct 16, 2026, 11:01 AM

    @afewbugs by coincidence my husband and I have been discussing purchasing one. While healthy we are moving from old to elderly and the emergency response time where we are is a minimum of 20 minutes. We have been trying to decide whether it’s crazy to get one or not.

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  • AvonLovesBlakeLilysea@aus.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 11:51 AM

    @afewbugs

    There are automated defibrillators in Australia, too - in lock boxes at train stations and shopping centres - you call to get the code to open the lock box, and the defibrillator verbally talks you through using it.

    If the person doesn't need a shock, the defib will refuse to administer a shock

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  • αxel simon :pride_heart:axx@mstdn.fr
    Oct 16, 2026, 12:34 PM

    RE: social.coop/@afewbugs/11745002

    Anyone can and should use an Automated external defibrillator (AED)!

    Anyone can use it, they are designed for untrained people to use them.

    Also, if you can, help keep #OpenStreetMap up to date when it comes to AED locations: if the map says one is there, please check it really is, now, when there is no emergency and you've got a couple minutes to spare. It could make all the difference to someone down the line.

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  • Feral 3DFeral_3D@mastodon.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 1:32 PM

    @axx anyone who has worked for a restaurant for more than ten years will know...

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  • Alex 🇵🇸alexpalacefan
    Oct 16, 2026, 1:42 PM

    @axx and while we're on the subject you should remove the bra if it's underwired. There should be scissors in with the de-fib.
    A 😀

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  • rhempelrhempel@cosocial.ca
    Oct 16, 2026, 2:27 PM

    @axx When we lived in Denmark there was a HeartStarter program - when someone has a heart attack, members of the public that have taken defibrillator training are alerted on their phones and can rush to the scene.

    They are given a few nearby defibrillator locations so they can pick it up on the way.

    I witnessed this in action one day on the shopping street in Vejle - it was fucking amazing!

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  • Mekkimekki@mas.to
    Oct 16, 2026, 3:06 PM

    @axx Worth adding for folks that worry: AEDs are specifically designed to analyze incoming cardiac signals before enabling the ability to deliver a shock, and they will only activate the shock function if fibrillation is detected. In other words, it cannot be used to incorrectly/unnecessarily shock a person and harm them. It is not at all like TV dramas!

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  • SewBluesewblue@sfba.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 1:12 PM

    @afewbugs I've been trained through work.

    The dirty secret is that CPR doesn't work like it does in movies. It may help a drowning victim regain consciousness but only a shock will restart the heart for heart attacks.

    CPR helps prevent brain damage until the heart can be restarted.

    And you will have to cut a woman's bra off. It will interfere with the shock.

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  • CiaraCiaraNi@mastodon.green
    Oct 16, 2026, 4:52 PM

    @afewbugs

    Great reminder. The defibrillators are publicly widespread here (Denmark) too. Coincidentally, I saw this just after reading that Hjerteløber (‘Heart Runner’) volunteers here are faster than ever to save lives. 20 volunteers in the immediate area get alerted to a heart attack. At least 10 of them now reach the person within 3 minutes, 24 seconds. Grabbing AEDs on the way. 61,000 volunteers drive, run or cycle to help. Fair play to them!

    dr.dk/nyheder/indland/hjertelo

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  • Lone Koefoed HansenKoefoed@helvede.net
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:20 PM

    @CiaraNi @afewbugs hjerteløber is a fantastic program!
    Explanation: It’s an app, people sign up by downloading it, emergency services can activate it, and to those 20 who are alerted, it shows their nearest defibrillator including instructions on how to run there. I’ve analysed the app with my UX students several times (to sneakily get them to sign up…). It’s such an amazing thing.

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  • CiaraCiaraNi@mastodon.green
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:26 PM

    @Koefoed @afewbugs Thanks for this - I didn't know the details of how it worked. It sounds very well designed, including even the quickest route to the defibrillator so the volunteer doesn't have to stop and think when every second counts. I like your constructively sneaky reasoning for using the app as a teaching tool too - nice :-)

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  • Steve Dallape5teverin0@mstdn.party
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:10 PM

    @afewbugs In my experience, they are not common in public spaces in the US, probably because (sadly) they would be vandalized or stolen. My workace, however, has several throughout the building.

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  • AprazethAprazeth@mstdn.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:36 PM

    @afewbugs

    Same as for the Netherlands. Some models here might even offer bilingual audio prompts (Dutch / English)

    In the kit there is a pair of scissors to cut any clothing. Use them.

    The device will help by giving the correct rhythm for the CPR.

    Try to place them as indicated on the picture on the AED. As long as there is a line between the 2 pads that crosses the heart you are good.

    Inform emergency services an AED is in use.

    Do NOT stop CPR UNLESS instructed by the AED or EMS

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  • Eggs now in different baskets.the_wub@mastodon.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:52 PM

    @afewbugs Given that heart attack symptoms that women experience can be quite different to the ones that men experience would a more important poll question be if you would be able to identify if a woman is actually having a heart attack?

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  • Eggs now in different baskets.the_wub@mastodon.social
    Oct 16, 2026, 5:54 PM

    @afewbugs It is common here in Norway to have AED/defibrillators hanging on walls in public places. For the general public to use.

    I was in our local social security office this morning and there was one on the wall in the waiting room.

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