Cool head in a crisis saved umpire’s life

HAYES resident Meegan Geard exceeded all expectations, including her own, when she went to the aid of an umpire who suffered a heart attack at a junior football game last month.

Ms Geard’s daughter plays for the under-17 New Norfolk football team, and at quarter time of the side’s semi-final at Pontville Oval an umpire went down in the middle.

“I actually thought I probably would have had an anxiety attack or something if I was put in a situation like that,” Ms Geard said.

“Adrenaline kicked in, and we just did what we needed to do, and it all worked out really well in the end.”

Ms Geard has posttraumatic stress disorder after a workplace accident last year and has struggled to be around large groups, but she leapt straight into action in the crisis.

She has been nominated for a 2018 Pride of Australia Medal for her actions.

She was the New Norfolk team’s first-aid officer, and was with the players when the umpire went down.

“Someone sang out to me from the middle of the ground, and I just ran straight out and found [the umpire] and he was with another umpire at the time who was assisting him,” she said. “I could see straight away that he wasn’t getting any oxygen because he was going grey, so I made sure his mouth was clear … and then just started CPR.

“We sent for a defibrillator that one of the guys said they had.”

As she assisted, a nurse arrived to help. They used the defibrillator, and sat with the umpire until the ambulance arrived.

For more information and to nominate go to prideofaustralia.com.au