The Manchester FA has teamed up with the British Heart Foundation to create a Heart Safe Charter to help look after the health and wellbeing of local football communities.
This collaboration forms part of Manchester FA’s wider ‘Heart Safe’ plan, which highlights the need for football clubs in the area to work together to ensure that defibrillators are available to everyone involved in the game.
Amy Arthur, Head of Regulatory Services at Avro Football Club, said: “We are proud to become a Manchester FA Heart Safe Club. The health and safety of our players, staff and fans is of the utmost importance to us.
“By working with Manchester FA and the British Heart Foundation on this initiative, we are taking proactive steps to protect the wellbeing of everyone associated with our club.
“Having access to defibrillators can make the difference between life and death in the event of a cardiac emergency, so we are fully committed to this vital program.
“Avro Football Club is proud to announce that we have achieved the status of a Heart Safe Club by meeting all the criteria of the Heart Safe Club charter.”
This includes:
* Owning or identifying a defibrillator within 100m of our club grounds that can be used in an emergency
* Nominating a dedicated ‘Heart Safe’ ambassador at the club
* Ensuring the defibrillator has pads that are in-date and regularly monitored
* Ensuring the defibrillator battery pack is charged and monitored regularly
* Planning and executing any replacements in a timely manner
* Registering the defibrillator on The Circuit
* Having at least one club official complete a ‘train the trainer’ course
* Promoting awareness of individuals at the club who have previous CPR training and can step up in the case of a cardiac emergency
As part of this initiative, some of the club’s volunteers recently completed the RevivR CPR training with Manchester FA and the British Heart Foundation at The Vestacare Stadium.
RevivR is a free, 15-minute interactive online CPR training course offered by the British Heart Foundation.
In just 15 minutes, someone can learn the skills to save a life and receive your own CPR certificate.
Officials at the club said they encouraged everyone to take advantage of this free training and start the RevivR online course today.
The defibrillator at Avro Football Club is located next to the Pitch Side Office / Control, mounted on the wall just at the side of the player’s tunnel.
It is clearly marked with signage and accessible to all visitors.
What Three Words for the Avro FC community defibrillator: noisy.head.lakes
In the event of a cardiac emergency:
* Call 999 immediately and follow the emergency operator’s instructions
* Send someone to quickly retrieve the defibrillator while CPR is being performed
* Request the pin from the operator, and open the defibrillator case and follow the voice prompts and instructions provided by the device
* Continue to follow the defibrillator’s prompts and perform CPR until emergency medical services arrive
* Quick action and the use of a defibrillator within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest can greatly increase the chances of survival.
* Familiarise yourself with the location of nearby defibrillators, and don’t hesitate to use them in an emergency situation.
Link to start the RevivR online course today, click here.
A spokesman from Avro FC said that the club is proud to support this initiative and they believe it is vitally important that as many people as possible know CPR.
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Main image from AVRO FC club website used with permission.
