Safety: the Anapen

Posted by Jon on Jun 17, 2010 in Beekeeping, Equipment | 0 comments

With a growing number of hives and lots of visitors including children, we thought that we should be prepared for all eventualities. As we’re in a rural location, the pompiers can take up to 10 minutes to get to us which could be too long if someone is allergic to bee stings. Speaking to our GP, we decided that it would be best for us to have an Anapen  on the premises for use in emergencies. Anapen is a trademark for an Epiphrine (adrenaline) Autoinjector, a device that delivers a measured dose of adrenaline at the onset of acute allergic reaction to prevent anaphylactic shock which is often fatal.

However, the administration of adrenaline can itself be fatal if carried out incorrectly so should we ever need to use it, we would need to ring 15 / 112 with full details of the patient particularly the age and weight of the patient. The would then tell us the dose that should be administered. This video shows how the Anapen should be used:

If you think that you should have an Anapen on site, then you need to speak to your Doctor who can provide you with a prescription. However, the Anapen comes with the responsibility to use it properly – I really hope we never need to use it.