IF a defibrillator (AED) is used within three to five minutes of cardiac arrest the survival prospects of the patient increase from 6% to 74%

The recent news that all secondary schools will be equipped with a defibrillator is very welcome, they provide a vital additional asset to life saving not only in the school but in their local community.

It is likely that there are a number of unregistered AEDs in and around Harlow. Emergency services use the register to direct first responders, first aiders and the public to the nearest available AED but can only do so if it is registered.

Labour Leader Cllr Chris Vince and Member Champion for Community Wellbeing Cllr James Griggs recently met Tom Abell, Chief Executive of the East of England Ambulance Service. 

During their visit to Ambulance HQ in Chelmsford Mr Abell showed them the map of registered AEDs in the Harlow area. There are a parts of the town with good coverage but there are too many areas where access is more limited.

Harlow Labour are launching an initiative to locate and register every possible AED in the town, they are inviting all individuals, organisations and businesses who have an AED to sign up to the register and improve the survival chances of cardiac arrest patients in their local community.

Cllrs Vince and Griggs are also bringing a motion before Harlow Council calling for the Council to purchase up to 10 AEDs to be placed in areas of the town where coverage is identified as poor.

In a joint statement they said ‘the statistics showing increased survival prospects of cardiac arrest patients if an AED is available annd used are amazing. We were surprised at how few AEDs are registered in Harlow. If locating and registering these devices saves just one life it will be well worth doing. We urge everyone to learn where their nearest device is located.

If you have an unregistered AED please visit www.thecircuit.uk  and register it as soon as possible. That one simple action could save a life!

When you have registered your AED or if you need help to register it please let us know by emailing 

[email protected] and we will provide assistance’