Saturday 14th September is World First Aid day and the theme this year is ‘First Aid and Sports’. At Mini First Aid we’ve done our research and found that apart from injuries that are directly related to the sport being played, cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in young sports people. Worryingly, over 90% of sudden cardiac arrests in young athletes happen either during or immediately after exercise. We know that most busy families usually have at least one child playing some type of sport week in, week out, and thought it was a great opportunity to explain how life saving Automated External Defibrillators (AED) technology is accessible to all to save a life.
The facts about cardiac arrests
A cardiac arrest happens when the heart stops beating properly and is unable to pump blood to the vital organs. When someone experiences a cardiac arrest, they swiftly lose consciousness and stop breathing.
Quick CPR and defibrillation can be the difference between life and death. It is vital that anyone experiencing a cardiac arrest receives immediate and appropriate treatment, effective CPR and defibrillation.
Quick CPR combined with defibrillation saves lives!
We cannot stress the importance of knowing where to find a defibrillator. Every second is vital when someone has a cardiac arrest.
Every minute’s delay giving CPR and defibrillation reduces a victim’s survival rate by 7-10%. Without immediate treatment, 90-95% of cardiac arrests prove fatal. Research also shows that using an AED within 3 to 5 minutes of a cardiac arrest can mean survival rates are as high as 50-70%.
Having an AED close at hand can make all the difference and many lives have been saved during sporting activities by having an AED present at the time of cardiac arrest.
Surviving cardiac arrest thanks to a sports ground defibrillator
In January 2023, Kye Wilson was just 18 when he collapsed on the football pitch. Luckily for Kye, his quick-thinking teammates, staff and coaches began CPR while someone ran to fetch a defibrillator. At least four shocks were delivered before paramedics arrived and he was rushed to A&E at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham. Kye survived, almost certainly because the sports ground had a defibrillator on site. We chose to share Kye's story to highlight how important this topic is.
The average age of people suffering from a cardiac arrest is between 35 and 44. But some younger sports people may be living with an undiagnosed heart condition that often isn't known about until it is too late.
What is a defibrillator and how to use it
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that delivers an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. They can be used to help the heart beat again if it has stopped due to cardiac arrest.
Defibrillators are extremely easy to use and you cannot do any harm to an unconscious casualty by using one. If someone is unconscious and not breathing, they need your assistance fast.
Defibrillators talk to you and give you clear instructions what to do. It is vital to give quality CPR in addition to using the defibrillator.
When a defibrillator is used correctly combined with good CPR, the odds of someone’s survival can jump from around 6% to an incredible 74%.
Need a CPR refresher?
There’s nothing as good as learning CPR in person.
If you'd like to practise these skills with a Mini First Aid trainer, you can sign up for our 2 hour Baby and Child first aid class or workplace courses here.
At our Adult Awareness Class, you can learn how to do CPR on adults, as well as learning how to use a defibrillator.
Know where to find your nearest defibrillator and how to register your defibrillator
You will never regret spending a few minutes working out where your local defibrillator is if you are unfortunate enough to witness someone going into cardiac arrest.
It’s fantastic that so many local communities have raised funds to buy a local defibrillator. These can be found at places like schools, village halls, local shops, sports grounds and even in old phone boxes! But it’s no good if no-one knows it is there and this is why it’s so important to register your defibrillator with The Circuit – otherwise known as The National Defibrillator Network.
A joint initiative between the British Heart Foundation, the NHS and other medical authorities, this database provides NHS ambulance services with the location of the UK’s defibrillators, allowing call handlers to help those dealing with a cardiac arrest.
You can register your local defibrillator here if you haven’t already, or click the image below:
What 3 Words
And finally, if you haven’t already, make sure you download the free app What 3 Words on to your phone so that it is always easy to access.
Sports grounds and football pitches can often be difficult to find without specific instructions, and What 3 Words can be an invaluable app in the event of an emergency where you're unsure of your exact location. It pinpoints your precise location to within 3 metres and identifies this location with 3 random words which are displayed on the screen. This "code" can then be passed onto the emergency call handler when you call 999, allowing the emergency services to respond to the emergency much more easily, and without unnecessary delays. Our Mini First Aid trainers have seen the benefit of using this app when they have been first on the scene in real life medical emergencies.
We hope that this World First Aid day we have shared some useful information for all of you parents who are involved regularly with your child's sporting schedules. When it comes to CPR and defibrillators our messaging could not be clearer - it is always better to know it and not need it, than need it and not know it.
All the best, The Mini First Aid Team
Sources: First Aid Voices, British Heart Foundation, NHS, The Mirror
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