St John Ambulance Cymru volunteers have successfully installed a new public access defibrillator for the Griffithstown community, following months of fundraising efforts.
To mark the centenary of their Division last year, Griffithstown volunteers launched a fundraising campaign to support the purchase of a new community defibrillator. This vital piece of equipment can be the difference between life and death in an emergency, with reports suggesting early defibrillation (within 3–5 min of collapse) can increase survival rates by as high as 50-70%*.
With generous support from the public and local organisations, the volunteers reached their target in spring this year and last month had the piece of equipment officially installed on their Divisional building on Greenway Drive, Griffithstown.
“To mark our centenary, we wanted to give back to the local community that has always supported us, so we launched the Centenary Appeal,” commented Deputy Officer in Charge of Griffithstown Division, David Jolliffe.
“Thanks to the generosity of the public, Torfaen County Councillors, Pontypool Community Councillors and Cwmbran and Vale Rotary Club, we are pleased to say that we have reached our target, and the defibrillator is now available to anyone who may need it.”
“We are thrilled to be helping to keep our community safe with this piece of equipment, that can be used to potentially save the life of someone suffering a cardiac emergency.”
Griffithstown Division has been supporting their community through first aid training and treatment for the last 100 years, and this is just one of the many ways St John Ambulance Cymru volunteers are keeping people safe.
The defibrillator is available at any time and can be unlocked in an emergency by dialling 999 and requesting the access code. You don’t need training to use a defibrillator, as the equipment talks you through the step-by-step process, but it’s important that people feel confident to use one if the situation arises.
St John Ambulance Cymru offers free first aid demonstrations in communities and schools across Wales. If you’d like to learn first aid or improve your confidence in lifesaving skills like defibrillator use or CPR, visit www.sjacymru.org.uk to find out more.
*Resuscitation Council UK, 17/10/2023: www.resus.org.uk/about-us/news-and-events/make-defibs-accessible-247-help-increase-survival-rates-across-uk-say
Councillor Anthony Hunt, Councillor Lizzie Hunt, Councillor Nathan Warren, and Paul Griffiths OBE KStJ DL, St John Ambulance Cymru Prior for Wales, with the new defibrillator.
Gwirfoddolwyr Griffithstown yn gosod diffibriliwr newydd i gadw'r gymuned yn ddiogel
Mae gwirfoddolwyr St John Ambulance Cymru wedi llwyddo i osod diffibriliwr cyhoeddus newydd ar gyfer cymuned Griffithstown, yn dilyn misoedd o ymdrechion codi arian.
I nodi canmlwyddiant eu Hadran y llynedd, lansiodd gwirfoddolwyr Griffithstown ymgyrch codi arian i gefnogi prynu diffibriliwr cymunedol newydd. Gall y darn hanfodol hwn o offer fod y gwahaniaeth rhwng bywyd a marwolaeth mewn argyfwng, ac mae adroddiadau’n awgrymu y gall diffibrilio cynnar (o fewn 3-5 munud o gwympo) gynyddu cyfraddau goroesi mor uchel â 50-70%*.
Gyda chefnogaeth hael gan y cyhoedd a sefydliadau lleol, cyrhaeddodd y gwirfoddolwyr eu targed yn y gwanwyn eleni a’r mis diwethaf gosodwyd y darn o offer yn swyddogol yn eu hadeilad Rhanbarthol ar Greenway Drive, Griffithstown.
“I nodi ein canmlwyddiant, roeddem am roi rhywbeth yn ôl i’r gymuned leol sydd bob amser wedi ein cefnogi, felly fe wnaethom lansio Apêl y Canmlwyddiant,” meddai’r Dirprwy Swyddog â Gofal dros Adran Griffithstown, David Jolliffe.
“Diolch i haelioni’r cyhoedd, Cynghorwyr Sir Torfaen, Cynghorwyr Cymunedol Pont-y-pŵl a Chlwb Rotari Cwmbrân a’r Fro, rydym yn falch o ddweud ein bod wedi cyrraedd ein targed, ac mae’r diffibriliwr bellach ar gael i unrhyw un a allai fod ei angen.”
“Rydym wrth ein bodd ein bod yn helpu i gadw ein cymuned yn ddiogel gyda’r darn hwn o offer, y gellir ei ddefnyddio i achub bywyd rhywun sy’n dioddef argyfwng cardiaidd."
Mae Adran Griffithstown wedi bod yn cefnogi eu cymuned drwy hyfforddiant, cymorth cyntaf a thriniaeth am y 100 mlynedd diwethaf, a dyma un o’r ffyrdd niferus y mae gwirfoddolwyr St John Ambulance Cymru yn cadw pobl yn ddiogel.
Mae'r diffibriliwr ar gael unrhyw bryd a gellir ei ddatgloi mewn argyfwng trwy ddeialu 999 a gofyn am y côd mynediad. Nid oes angen hyfforddiant arnoch i ddefnyddio diffibriliwr, gan fod yr offer yn eich tywys drwy’r broses gam wrth gam, ond mae’n bwysig bod pobl yn teimlo’n hyderus i ddefnyddio un os bydd y sefyllfa’n codi.
Mae St John Ambulance Cymru yn cynnig arddangosiadau cymorth cyntaf am ddim mewn cymunedau ac ysgolion ledled Cymru. Os hoffech ddysgu cymorth cyntaf neu wella eich hyder mewn sgiliau achub bywyd fel defnyddio diffibriliwr neu CPR, ewch i www.sjacymru.org.uk i gael gwybod mwy.
*Cyngor Dadebru'r DU, 17/10/2023:, 17/10/2023: www.resus.org.uk/about-us/news-and-events/make-defibs-accessible-247-help-increase-survival-rates-across-uk-say
