The Isle of Wight Zoo has issued a statement amid rumours staff ‘refused’ the use of a defibrillator to help in the battle to save a woman’s life on the beach at Yaverland yesterday (Sunday).
As previously reported by Island Echo, emergency services were called to Yaverland at around 16:15 on Sunday afternoon when a woman was pulled from the sea having suffered a suspected heart attack. Quick-thinking members of the public dashed to the nearby Zoo to obtain a defibrillator to help with the CPR efforts.
It’s been claimed, both at the scene and on social media, that the Zoo stated the defibrillator was for ‘zoo use only’ and refused to allow members of the public to take the defib to the scene. However, the Isle of Wight Zoo say this simply wasn’t the case.
It has been explained to Island Echo that the member of the public did not have the access code to the Public Access Defibrillator and that members of staff at the Zoo didn’t have the code to hand either.
Sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene despite the best efforts of all involved, with around 25 emergency personnel involved in the incident.
At the height of the incident the Hampshire & IOW Air Ambulance, Coastguard Rescue 175 helicopter, 2 Coastguard Rescue Teams from Bembridge and Ventnor, 2 ambulances, a senior paramedic officer and Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat were all present.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Zoo has today said:
“We received an urgent radio call asking if a first aider could attend an incident on Yaverland car park yesterday. Our first aider immediately ran to the front office to speak with the member of public, who was asking for a defibrillator.
“The Isle of Wight Zoo does not have a defibrillator of its own but there is a public access defibrillator sited on the front of the granite fort that borders the car park. A code is needed to access this device.
“Unfortunately the staff in immediate attendance did not have the code and explained that we didn’t have a defibrillator to give them and would have to call 999 to get access to it. At this point an ambulance arrived at the incident.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the womans friends and family at these very testing times”.
The code should be available at the Zoo, or the Zoo do have the contact number so they can call if the code is needed. I hope there is an investigation about this. Disgusting if it’s true that staff said the machine was for “zoo” use only.
Its 999.
Have you read the article ? It’s a public accessed defib. They sent put their first aider. Most defibs in public places require a code from 999 ( to ensure help is on its way as well as stopping g the equipment getting stolen). The zoo as far as I can see are not at fault here
This is from Resuscitation Council and would suggest nothing to do with zoo.
Public-access defibrillators are usually kept in cabinets in prominent public locations with appropriate signs to help people to find them and know what they are. There has been a long-running debate about whether these cabinets should be openly accessible (unlocked) or whether they should be locked.
Some locked cabinets need a numerical code to unlock the door. The ambulance service will give this code to the person who makes the initial 999 call, once they have confirmed that they are dealing with a cardiac arrest. Other locked cabinets can be unlocked remotely from the ambulance control centre in this situation.
Did you bother to read the article at all?! If the Zoo had been closed there would have been nobody to ask! I have learnt something from this article because I didn’t know a code was needed let alone what it was. I do now. The Zoo cannot be held responsible
Why do morons come on here and post their rants without even reading the article?
the defib is for 24-7 use, and the reason they don’t have code at zoo is when you ring 999 as stated on the box a call handler with dispatch a ambulance immediately and any other services, plus give instructions on how to use the machine, and keep you calm, i have had to use one on a family member and even though I’ve had first aid training and defib training i was very grateful for the reassuring voice on the phone while administering first aid
Disgusting that you don’t have the brains to read nd understand the full article before making such a silly post.
so what’s the point of having a life saving piece of equipment , and nobody knows the damned code !!!? This poor womans life may have been saved. Unbelievable.
Code is given on 999 call. This stops fefibs from being stolen. Read the article then you might understand
Unfortunately if left unlocked they get stolen. 999 operators have the code to give a caller to allow them to unlock the case. The staff at the zoo are not in control of the defibulator as what would happen when the zoo is closed.
Typical reactionary, low quality comment
No one carroed out the instructions on the front for the code ?
Not rocket science you dial 999 a and they give you a code
Dont jump to conclusions the Defib has instructions what to do. You phone 999 and they give the code. Get the facts right before condeming people as usual assumptions made.
Dial 999, give defib number and operator will give out access code. Whole process takes 30 seconds. The code is changed after it’s used so it cant be tampered with. I’m also sure, if the zoo had a defib of there own, they would happily allow anyone access to it to save a life. Some people just love making up stories for attention. Thoughts with the ladies friends and family. Very sad.
Usual hysterical finger pointing blame culture. Get your facts right before sending in the lynch mob.
The code is given out when you dial 999 the reason they have to have coded locks is because some people think it’s ok to steal the defibs as has happened on the island. If we had a better society they wouldn’t have to be locked.
Who called 999? Did the person who called 999 know there was a difribliater nearby?, did that person know the lady needed one?..
And why did the operator taking the call not assess the information correctly and give the code to the person who called 999?..and do most people know how to use a difribliater??.
The zoo was approached for a difribliater so why didn’t they call 999 again and ask for the code?
Joe public does not need to know how to use a ‘public’ defib. Every step of what to do is announced when you start to use it. It’s the original’ defib for dummies’.
So why was the code not given?????
because the person who originally dialled 999 didn’t ask for it
Remind me, exactly how many times is the word “defibrillator” spelled out in the article?
To get that simple word wrong three times in three sentences is an art form, congrats.
Defibs should have easy access which the present method is not. People who are requesting are anxious as there is a person in dire need who isn’t breathing. The longer it takes to get and use the defib the less likelihood of survival. Clear instructions are with the defib so no one should be afraid to use it. Whether this lady could have been saved had it been more readily to hand we shall never know but I doubt it. It’s a pity we have to lock up such important life saving pieces of equipment due to idiots that people have bred
Not all people are idiots.
Just some individuals.
You only need one idiot.
the access is very easy ring 999 you may be doing harm if you just slap a defib on someone who is not in cardiac arrest, the call handler gives you the code and dispatches any other assistance so no need for any more panicked calls they also talk you through what to do, I’ve used one and am trained to use one but it is still a very frightening experience, the PAD system is a brilliant way to get help fast
I was on scene yesterday when this tragedy happened. I was in the sailing club car park and a young man ran up asking if we had a defib. Unfortunately not but he was pointed to the zoo where there was one. Being a trained medic I ran along the beach where I found 3 people giving cpr. The young lad ran back saying he was not able to get the cpr machine from the zoo. The lady had collapsed about 400 metres from the slipway along towards the white cliffs. The ambulance service soon arrived and also ran along the beach. The medics did all they could but unfortunately it was not to be. The 3 people who were giving cpr should be applauded as they tried everything to save her life. A cpr machine tells anyone who turns it on what to do to safely use it. So sad for her daughter.
Shouldn’t we be praising the efforts of all the wonderful people who tried so hard to save someone’s life instead of commenting on whether or not a defibrillator box should be locked or not. Thank you to all that tried so hard
Bloody Social Media. The trouble is so many people live and thrive on it they think everything that is posted on there is true, not. Such a shame this lady passed away. Thoughts are with her family.
I am guessing that the first 999 call was made on a mobile on the beach. Ambulance would then be dispatched.
Guessing again, someone said “There’s a defibrillator at the Zoo” (they do seem to be sited at landmarks, to be easy to find).
A well-meaning person then runs all the way to the Zoo and asks for a machine.
They would be totally focused on getting to ‘The Zoo door’ and may not necessarily notice the box on the nearby wall.
As in the story, the ambulance arrived at that time, so the machine was no longer needed.
The box has a dynamic code, changed after each use and probably at other times. If the code was written down somewhere, it would very likely be out of date when needed – an even more dangerous situation.
Full marks to everybody who help the poor lady.
The defibrillator box is actually mounted on the wall, between the carpark ticket machine and the payment signs . Good luck spotting it there, when you’re in a panic.