Wednesday 13th August 2014 – 11.30am – Suzie Wheaton.
A number of sporting clubs within Staffordshire have recently scored defibrillators*.
Beau Desert Golf Club in Cannock, Darnford Moors Golf Club in Lichfield and Stone Tennis Club have all been working in conjunction with West Midlands Ambulance Service to ensure that staff, club members and visitors to their facilities have the best chance of survival should they become critically ill.
One of the most high profile cardiac arrests in recent years was sporting star, Fabrice Muamba, proving that cardiac arrests can happen to anyone at any time.
Eighty-five percent of those people who suffer a cardiac arrest have the ability to be corrected by defibrillation. The quicker CPR is carried out and a defibrillator is applied, not only improves the chance of their survival but it can also help to improve the chances of a patient’s full recovery and reduce the time to do so. For every minute a patient is in cardiac arrest, their chance of survival decreases by 10 percent.
WMAS Community Response Manager, Matt Heward said: “The ambulance service strongly believes that by having defibrillators installed in public places, such as sporting clubs, schools and business premises, and having people trained in their use and basic first aid techniques really can help to save lives.
“These machines are extremely easy to use, meaning people of all ages and walks of life can provide emergency care to those who need it quickly and effectively prior to the arrival of an ambulance.”
Stephen Coakley of Darnford Moors Golf Club said: “As a club we have a very active senior membership, and their safety and well-being, as well as guests and visitors of all ages, are of great importance to us. Our owner Tommy Coakley had numerous heart scares over the previous three years and it was something that we looked at previously. Our senior’s organiser James Neary accelerated this and we are proud to have this potentially life-saving equipment on site.”
John McCredie of Stone Tennis Club said: “Stone tennis club is a facility used by a number of clubs and organisations and after reading other press releases about defibrillators it was decided the club was an important location for such a device.”
Ends
Notes to editors
*Defibrillators are devices that are used to restart someones heart.
Pictured: Darnford Moor Gold Club: Martyn Rowley, Phil Yates, Stuart Armstrong, James Neary, Tommy Coakley, Noreen Bramley, Mick and Mary Godwin and Steve
Stone Tennis Club: Club members and representatives of organisations who use the club.