We are pleased to report that a new home has been found for the Warbleton Publicly Available Defibrillator (AED), which was previously on the Black Duck Inn. The Warbleton AED is now sited on the front of the Church Rooms building which, for those not familiar with it, can be found a short distance to the north of the church itself. The Church Rooms can be accessed either using a footpath from the church, or via a turning on the left 70m up the road, north of the Lych Gate.
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The swift relocation of the AED is the result of a successful collaboration involving Warbleton Parish Council, Warbleton Church and the Heathfield & Waldron Community First Responders.
Andy Bodkin, HCFR; Andy Long, Chairman Warbleton Parish Council; The Rev’d Marc Lloyd and David Cleverly, Church Warden.
Warbleton Parish Council recently took over responsibility for the network of AEDs that was originally conceived and installed by a local community group that raised the required funds from local donations, supported by grants from Parish and District councils. The Parish Council, led by Chairman Andy Long, supported the efforts to find a new location for the Warbleton AED, and encouraged a rapid re-instatement of this very important source of emergency assistance for Warbleton residents and those visiting the location.
When it was discovered that the existing site would no longer be available, Marc Lloyd and the Warbleton Church PCC were quick to explore permanent locations that would avoid any further disruption. All those involved agreed that the Church Rooms offered the most practicable solution. The location is easy to find, it made wiring up for box with the necessary power simple and secure, and the location of the box also means that walkers passing through will also be made aware of the facility. Church Warden David Cleverly organised the box installation, with the help of trusted Church electrician Clive.
Heathfield & Waldron Community First Responders (HCFR) provide free safety and maintenance checks for all the AEDs in our area. Andy Bodkin from HCFR advised on the relocation of the AED and provided safekeeping for the equipment during the hiatus between its abrupt removal and its eventual re-siting. He has also ensured that South East Coast Ambulance service are informed about the change of location as, in an emergency, they need to be able to direct people dialling 999 to their nearest AED. Heathfield Community First Responders have also kindly offered to provide a free-of-charge AED familiarisation session for local residents, details of which we will pass on when available.
Heathfield & Waldron CFR are a charity providing an emergency medical response within the community. Responders are community volunteers who are trained to respond to emergency calls in conjunction with South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb). As they respond in the local areas where they live and work they are able to attend the scene of an emergency within a few minutes, and often before the emergency service arrives. They are able to offer life-saving first aid further increasing the patient’s chances of survival. Across Kent, Surrey and Sussex and north east Hampshire SECAmb CFRs attend roughly 20,000 emergency calls per year of which more than 10,000 are categorised as life-threatening, including more than 1,000 of which are cardiac/respiratory arrest calls. To find out more about the First Responders, including how to make a donation or volunteer, visit their website: https://www.heathfieldcfr.co.uk/
The Warbleton Area AEDs
In addition to Warbleton Church Rooms, the Warbleton AED network encompasses units at Osborne House, Rushlake Green; The White Horse, Bodle Street Green; The Telephone Box, Three Cups Corner; and the Village Hall, Punnetts Town.
Slightly further afield, there are AEDs at the Swan Inn, Woods Corner; Goward Hall, Cade Street; The Star Inn, Old Heathfield; The Brewers Arms, Vines Cross; and the Merrie Harriers, Cowbeech. And beyond that there are AEDs in Broad Oak, Heathfield, Maynards Green, Horam, Waldron, Hellingly, Horsebridge and Herstmonceux.
Here is the latest version of our map showing those local AEDs we are aware of. HCFR also have a useful interactive AED location map on their website: https://www.heathfieldcfr.co.uk/what-we-do
If you know of any other AEDs that have appeared locally, please let us know: rushlakegreenvillage@gmail.com.
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