LLANGEITHO Community First Response team held a defibrillation awareness session in the Jubilee Hall which was attended by about 20 local people.

Dionne Sherwood, chair of the first responders, said: “Having donated the defibrillator to the village, it became apparent to us that a number of residents were worried about what to do in the event of an emergency and did not feel they had the confidence to use the defibrillator safely.

“They were concerned that they might electrocute either themselves or the patient.”

Gerard Rothwell, the National PADS (Public Access Defibrillator Scheme) manager for the Welsh Ambulance Service, led the session and guided the audience through what to do in the event of somebody collapsing and suffering cardiac arrest, including CPR and how to use the defibrillator.

Members of the audience were invited to have a go at resuscitation and all were able to get a close look at the equipment.

At the end of the session they felt more confident that they would know what to do if the need arose.

The first responders presented the Village Hall Committee with a new Zoll defibrillator ready to be registered under PADS. This replaced a previously donated defibrillator.

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