Life-saver given to sports centre
Complex given defibrillator by fuels firm
A POTENTIALLY life-saving piece of medical equipment has been donated to the Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex.
Fuel and lubricants distributor Advance Fuels bought the £750 defibrillator, which was installed outside the complex’s reception area on February 18. The portable device can be used to restart a person’s heart after they enter cardiac arrest or experience heartbeat abnormalities.
Tom Lewis, dry operations manager at Hillingdon Athletics Stadium, in Gatting Way, Uxbridge, said: “We’re really grateful to Advance Fuels and its charity partner, The Oliver King Foundation, for this donation. Defibrillators have the potential to save lives for users of the stadium and the local community.”
The Oliver King Foundation aims to raise awareness of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), which is caused by heart rhythm abnormalities.
The risk of death from SADS can be significantly reduced with the rapid use of a defibrillator.
Anna Turner, who works at the fuel company’s Harefield depot, in Harvil Road, nominated the stadium for the donation, as the chances of suffering heart arrhythmia are increased during exercise.
She said: “Defibrillators have been designed to be used by members of the public without any special training, as they provide recorded instructions and can make a huge difference by saving crucial minutes before paramedics arrive.”
About 60,000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside hospitals in the UK each year. According to the British Heart Foundation, every minute that passes without the patient receiving CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 10 per cent.