Local sports leaders in the Vale of Glamorgan meet this week to discuss a plan to rollout defibrillators across sporting facilities in the area. Local MP Alun Cairns brought together sporting representatives from various local clubs across the Vale to lead the campaign, which aims to emulate defibrillator campaigns that are taking place at a national level, including the Premier League’s plan to install defibrillators at every football ground in England.
Defibrillators are devices that restore a normal heartbeat by sending an electric pulse or shock to the heart. The aim of the local campaign is to provide every sporting facility in the Vale with an accessible defibrillator, to improve safety and ensure that tragedy can be averted.
According to the British Heart Foundation every year there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the community, with a survival rate of around 10%.
Commenting on the campaign Vale MP Alun Cairns said, “It is vitally important we all get behind this campaign. The incident with Christian Eriksen at the Euro’s was a reminder of this and has strengthened the efforts to install defibrillators across our community. In our own community our thoughts have been with the family and friends of Sully Cricketer Maqsood Anwar, following his tragic death recently. I am passionate about this campaign because it is lifesaving equipment which must be accessible to all.”
Mr Cairns added, “I was keen to bring together sporting representatives from across the Vale to ensure this campaign achieves positive outcomes. We must lead the way in the Vale and I hope that this will encourage others to follow suit.”
Calon Heart, a Cardiff based specialised defib charity will be involved in the campaign, to highlight the funding options available. The charity has already placed over 6000 defibs across Wales but this is set to massively increase in the coming months following an increased demand after recent events.
Matthew Warner, Youth Team Coach and Safeguarding Officer, Cadoxton Barry FC who is also involved in the campaign commented, “I am a firm believer that life saving defibrillators should be much more accessible to the public. Especially in locations where sport and physical play takes place. We are hearing more and more of younger people, including children having cardiac arrests and dying these days than we have in the past, even though we are trying to create a healthier society.
Simon Hiscocks, Secretary of Dinas Powys CC added ‘the installation of an accessible defibrillator at (or within a couple of minutes at most) of all sports venues should be a starting point for this campaign - it should not be a responsibility to be placed on individual clubs/organisations where sites are multi-use.’
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