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Phillips Heartstream FR2 and Hastings United Football Club

Almost everyone connected with football and many who are not will remember vividly the night of 17th March 2012 at White Hart Lane when Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton Wanderers midfieldersuffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Everyone will remember very clearly the shocking image of his collapse and the stunned silence in the stadium. Those at the ground and those watching on Television will also remember the actions of the team that saved his life with good Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the early use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in the attempt to restart his heart.....

Now, the players and fans of Hastings United FC have the same rescue capability as our Premier League counterparts thanks to Patrick McCrossan and South London Healthcare NHS Trust. Patrick, Operational Manager at the Trust, acting on behalf of the club purchased the Phillips Heartstream FR2 Automated Defibrillator (AED) from the Trust Resuscitation Services following a recent reconfiguration of their services; the device is also used by South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB) -so its readiness has been tried and tested in the field.

In cardiac arrest, as each minute goes the chance of survival decreases by 14% so the early use of the chain of survival (see below) is crucial. The FR2 AED remains one of the most advanced, yet easy to use models in its generation and truly offers the rescuer an option when they need it the most. Hopefully we will never need to use it at Hastings United for either player or supporter. But it’s nice to know that it’s there…..

Do you know how to perform CPR? If not then log-on towww.heartstart.co.uk