Member Article

Burnage Rugby Club hosts new type of training

A very different type of training session took place at Burnage Rugby Club on Friday – a far cry from the usual rucks, scrums and passes.

The sports venue played host to Cardiac Science – in partnership with North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust – who held awareness sessions on CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), details and symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and what to do in the event of such an emergency.

Over 62 local businesses and residents attended the event, which follows the leading defibrillator manufacturer’s recent donation of a community access defibrillator to the Heaton Mersey sports venue.

Its previous defibrillator was donated by the North West Ambulance Service following the death of promising 19-year-old flanker Josh Merrick, who sadly passed away in his sleep from an undiagnosed heart condition in 2013.

Cardiac Science Managing Director, Shaun Ingram, said: “Last year, the ambulance service responded to 5,486 incidents* in Greater Manchester where the patient had suffered a cardiac arrest.

“Now this AED has been sited at Burnage Rugby Club, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust can now divert members of the public to it if such an emergency call is made locally.

“By placing this AED at the Rugby club it gives piece of mind to those who use the rugby club for its many events as well as the wider residential and business community. Friday’s training session was the next logical step to take to ensure that now it is in place, as many people as possible who live, work and socialise in the area are now best equipped to deal with an emergency situation should they ever need to.”

Attendee Lynne Speight, Senior Aquatic Ecologist from APEM Limited, said: “All my work colleagues who went have said they found it really useful and they would be more confident in using an AED now they know that it talks you through the steps. Thanks for organising this, the more people that are aware of PADs the better!”

Sara Chain, a Survival Co-ordinator at North West Ambulance attended the event at Burnage Rugby Club and led the training. “It was great to see so many businesses allowing staff to take time to attend the course and learn these basic lifesaving skills. All those attended enjoyed the session and it was great to teach them, especially dismissing myths around both CPR and AED use.”

*Source: http://www.nwas.nhs.uk/news/press-releases-statements-2015/15-september-2015-life-saving-cardiac-scheme-with-fire-crews/#.VshmL2_cvIU

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Souter .