Whitby Defibrillator Project Seeks Ongoing Support for Town's Lifesaving Network

The Whitby Defibrillator Project (WDP) is highlighting the ongoing need for funding to maintain the network of 40 publicly accessible defibrillators located around Whitby and the surrounding area.

The project, which has helped install and manage 40 of the life-saving devices, relies on community support to keep the units ready for use.

A significant cost associated with maintaining the network is the regular replacement of batteries and pads that are essential for the defibrillators to function.

Pam Boland from the project says there are some significant ongoing costs.

The Whitby Defibrillator project made a huge commitment to keep these defibrillators active.

The batteries  and the the pads that go on the chest, they've only got a life of four years and they cost 165 pounds each. And if they get used in  an emergency  they would need to be replaced immediately.

 Every one of the 40 defibrillators have a custodian. And they check the, that the, it's working.

Ensuring the units are working is a crucial responsibility taken on by the project, with each of the 40 defibrillators having a custodian who checks its status, Pam says that after the initial installation of the units the group agreed to manage the defibrillators on an ongoing basis.

With the Lion's help and with additional fundraising, we put together 40  installations of defibrillators around Whitby and around the town area.

When a defibrillator is activated and used, the battery would need to be replaced, it's up to somebody to keep it running and to keep it accessible and working in full condition. 

It is important. And  we have taken that on that responsibility is,  quite a, a thing we carry.

To help meet the costs of battery replacement and ongoing maintenance, the WDP is organising a new fundraising event: the Whitby Chocolate Festival. Plans for the "non-commercial, non-profit idea" were backed by Whitby Town Council at a meeting in March and the festival is set to be held later this year in December.

Funds raised through the festival, via the participation of local businesses and donations from the public, will directly support the maintenance of the 40 defibrillators. 

Venues interested in taking part will donate to the defibrillator fund and in return will be promoted as part of the festival's marketing. 

Registered venues are planned to receive a window sticker indicating their participation. A printed route map showing all participating locations will be available at venues, the Tourist Information Centre, the Library, and via social media. Collection boxes will also be placed at some venues to further boost the battery funds. 

Several businesses have already expressed interest in participating, and the festival is expected to conclude with customers voting for 'the best hot chocolate in Whitby'. 

The Mayor of Whitby, Coun Bob Dalrymple, stated that the proposal was "well received by the council," with councillors voicing support for the idea. No direct financial support has been requested from the town council at this time.

Pam Boland says that while Whitby is currently considered well-provisioned with the defibrillators it needs, the focus for the WDP is now on the crucial task of maintaining the existing units and keeping them going.

"They're very well positioned. The defibrillators now. Whitby itself is well provisioned now, it's got all the defibrillators I think it needs, but sometimes the outskirts come along, it might be a rugby club somewhere, it might be a balls club somewhere else,  and if people can raise, money for a defibrillator, we have got the connections to get the good value. 

But whoever wanted one, they would have to maintain, they have to come on the circuit and, be part of what we are doing already.

So it's not ruled out that we won't do any more, but it is essentially at the moment, it's about maintaining them. Keeping them going.

Pam says the defibrillators are "intelligent pieces of kit" designed to be used by anyone in an emergency.

"They're in the yellow boxes around Whitby. And you ring 999, tell 999, there's a casualty. You need an ambulance. The one thing they will ask you to do is go and get the defibrillator. You stay on the phone  with the the service, the ambulance service, and they will give you the code, you'll access that defibrillator.

Inside that magical little box is a set of pads that would go on the chest  it's a very intelligent piece of kit that talks to you, tells you all the wise and wear falls of exactly what to do,  so the pads, you encourage to put the pads on the chest, and then this intelligent piece of kit can monitor what the heart is doing. And the pads are looking for what is called a shockable rhythm.

So,  If there has been a heart attack. The heart is fluttering. It can flutter like a little bird. It's not beating, it's not efficient, it's not working properly. So the defibrillator will ask you to stand back and it will put a shock into the chest.

With the design of that stopping that fibrillation, stopping that fluttering and starting the heart back again. So that is essentially, that is what the defibrillator does.

You don't have to press anything. The machine does it. So all you do is turn the machine on. And listen to what the machine's telling you. And it does it all automatically. It's very clever."