Joiner fits life-saver in van: ‘I was a first responder in army and know importance of having good kit’
A former soldier – who saved lives in Iraq – has fitted a heart defibrillator to his works van so he can now also give lifesaving aid as a joiner, writes Stephen Stewart.
Ex-British Army sergeant Chris Wieczorek had the £400 equipment fitted after he saw how useful defibrillators were when he saved civilians on the frontline in Erbil.
His new defibrillator is one of more than 5,400 currently registered across Scotland
– a key weapon in frontline healthcare as thousands of Scots suffer what is termed an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year.
Wieczorek, 50, of Bo’ness, Stirlingshire, said: “It has been really rewarding already. I let people know I was getting the heart defibrillator and then I started receiving messages of support.
“One text was from someone whose son had suffered a heart attack even though he was very young. He survived, thankfully, and she was delighted that I was getting the equipment. That really hit home how important this is.
“I was a first responder in the army and saw the importance of having good kit when I was out in Iraq. When I was working in Erbil a good few years ago there was a road traffic accident. I stopped and jumped out and patched up a good few of the injured.
“I wanted to be able to help again if the situation arises in civvy life. It was important to me to be able to help out in this job as a first responder too.”
In Scotland, there are 5,435 defibrillators registered on The Circuit – the national defibrillator network. There are about 3,200 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in Scotland and only one in 10 people survives.
Wieczorek, who now runs his own business, Wizz Properties, after leaving the army, has worked to help fellow veterans after leaving the military.
He offered a flat rent-free to a homeless squaddie in 2015 and received 30 approaches from veterans who had fallen on hard times within 24 hours.
Hours later he had 1,000 friend requests and scores of applications for the £380-a-month home in Falkirk. Strangers, including an ex-Royal Marine, hailed him as an inspiration. Wieczorek, who left the army in 2004, said: “It would be great if other businesses got the heart defibrillators too as you never know when you might need one. It is certainly not the type of gear you find in a joiner’s van.
“Who knows? Maybe I am one of the first tradesmen to get a defib fitted in his works van. It may be that I may never need to use it but it is good to know that it’s there always ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice.”
Each of the 14 ambulance services across the UK has its own defibrillator database for its area. The Circuit national defibrillator network brings this information together into one database.
As defibrillators are registered on The Circuit, their location and status are synchronised with the emergency services’ systems, ensuring information is always up to date and ready to help save lives.
Judy O’Sullivan, of the British Heart Foundation, said defibrillators could be the difference between life or death for someone suffering a heart attack. She said: “Every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest and we know prompt CPR and defibrillation can double the chance of survival in some cases.
“That is why the British Heart Foundation has a wide range of programmes to help people learn CPR in their school, workplace or even at home.
“We are also proud to have worked in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service, St John Ambulance and the Resuscitation Council UK to set up The Circuit: the national defibrillator network.
“The Circuit allows defibrillator owners or guardians to register their defibrillator online and 60 seconds later it will be visible to the ambulance services in an emergency. This means it is more likely to be used during a cardiac arrest.”
She added: “If you, or somebody you know, owns or looks after a defibrillator then we urge you to register it on The Circuit today. It only takes a few minutes to register and it could make the difference between life and death for someone 60 seconds later.”