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SILICON CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc. (Hons.) Technical Editor John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Technical Staff Ross Tester Jim Rowe, B.A., B.Sc Nicholas Vinen Photography Ross Tester Reader Services Ann Morris Advertising Enquiries Glyn Smith Phone (02) 9939 3295 Mobile 0431 792 293 glyn<at>siliconchip.com.au Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst David Maddison B.App.Sc. (Hons 1), PhD, Grad.Dip.Entr.Innov. Kevin Poulter Dave Thompson SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 003 205 490. ABN 49 003 205 490. All material is copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Hannanprint, Warwick Farm, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $105.00 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see our website or the subscriptions page in this issue. Editorial office: Unit 1, 234 Harbord Rd, Brookvale, NSW 2100. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9939 3295. E-mail: silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au ISSN 1030-2662 Recommended & maximum price only. 2  Silicon Chip Publisher’s Letter A defibrillator could save your life or that of your friend While some readers may find it a little odd that we have a feature article on defibrillators this month, I can assure them that it is a particularly apt topic for SILICON CHIP. In the first place, we have quite a lot of older readers and the longer you live, the more chance there is that you might have a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Mind you, young people are also at considerable risk of an SCA if they play strenuous sports or engage in a heavy weight-lifting regimen at their local gym. But sadly, an even more common risk factor for an SCA among people can be if they take drugs, particularly ICE. However, that is not the main reason why I decided to have this feature produced. In the last few months of 2015, I had tentatively decided that we would purchase one these devices to install in our editorial office. Again, without going into details, some of our own staff are moving into the risk profile (ahem) and you never know. But the pressure of work intervened and we did not proceed. And then just before Christmas, I was galvanised into action. It so happens that I am a keen ballroom dancer and I do this several times a week. Inevitably, many dancers are fairly senior even though they are often very fit. I am particularly keen on the Viennese Waltz and it is renowned as probably the most strenuous dance. So much so that I have often thought that some of the older dancers should not even attempt to do the Viennese, especially as there is also the risk of a fall while you do it. Having recently had a fall while doing that dance, I know how unpleasant it is. Fortunately, I was not hurt. However, during a Viennese Waltz at a dance in the following week, someone did fall – and he fell heavily. I immediately knew that this was not good. The dance was stopped and it was found that the fallen dancer was not only unconscious but had no evidence of a pulse. Fortunately, there were a couple of nurses present and they started CPR while an ambulance was called. Several people frantically searched the venue to find if there was a defibrillator available but there was none. So we hoped that the ambulance would arrive with one. But the ambulance took quite a while to arrive and when it did, it did not have one. By this time, I knew that the outcome was unlikely to be good. The man was declared dead about half an hour later. This caused me serious pangs of guilt because I had recently raised the topic with the organiser of the dance but again, nothing had been done. I shall never know whether a defibrillator would have saved him but I resolved to make sure that if someone does collapse at a dance in the future, there will be a defibrillator on hand. First, we have purchased a defibrillator for our office and I intend to take it to the dances until such time as the respective venues have their own units. Second, by the time you read this, I will have taken a 2-day first-aid course to bring me up to date; it is many years since I did it. Think about your own activities and consider whether you should also do a first-aid course. It is no burden to have such knowledge and it may save a life in the future. In the overall scheme of things, defibrillators are not expensive, at typically less than $3000. Every workplace, sporting venue, hotel, club and most local council venues should have them. You can help make this happen. Leo Simpson siliconchip.com.au