Regular visitors to Oakham's Cutts Close may have seen the recently installed defibrillator on the storage shed and shelter just off of the main foot path.

This fantastic new addition is there to save lives, but in a crisis, would you know how to use it?

Read on to find out how to use this new defibrillator and to learn about the life-saving steps involved.

If you see someone collapse, ask a helper to call 999 or 112 for emergency help while you start CPR. Ask a helper to find and bring a defibrillator, if available.

• If you're on your own, use the hands-free speaker on a phone so you can start CPR while speaking to the emergency responder.
• Do not leave a casualty to look for a defibrillator yourself as the ambulance team will bring one.

When the helper returns with a defibrillator, ask for it to be switched on and to take the pads out, while you continue CPR. 

Remove or cut through clothing to get to the casualty's bare chest and wipe away any sweat. The defibrillator will give you voice prompts on what to do next.

Using a defibrillator - attach pads (image courtesy of St John Ambulance)

Attach the pads to the casualty's chest, by removing the backing paper. Apply the pads in the positions shown.

• Place the first pad on the upper right side below the collar bone.
• The second pad will ideally be placed on the casualty's left side below the arm pit.

Using a defibrillator - follow visual and verbal prompts (image courtesy of St John Ambulance)

The defibrillator will analyse the heart's rhythm. Stop CPR and make sure no one is touching the casualty. It will then give a series of visual and verbal prompts that should be followed.

• If the defibrillator tells you that a shock is needed, tell the people around you to stand back. The defibrillator will tell you when to press the shock button.
• After the shock has been given the defibrillator will tell you to continue CPR for two minutes before it re-analyses.
• If the defibrillator tells you that no shock is needed continue CPR for two minutes. The defibrillator will re-analyse and inform you if a shock is needed.

Using a defibrillator - if casualty shows signs of responsiveness, put them in the recovery position (image courtesy of St John Ambulance)

If the casualty is responsive, coughing, opening eyes or speaking, and starts to breathe normally, put them in the recovery position. Leave the defibrillator attached should you need to use it.

We hope that you will never need to perform these life-saving steps on anyone, but if you do, we hope that this handy guide helps.

An up close image of the new defibrilator at Cutts Close

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