Despite the heavy and blustery rain putting off even the most enthusiastic of golf croquet players, the clubhouse was still buzzing with activity on Friday when ten members undertook crucial first aid training in the use of the club’s AED machine.
The volunteers were instructed in the basic use of the club’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED), which was installed at the club in the spring of 2024. AED’s are lightweight, portable devices which deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart when it detects an abnormal rhythm and changes the rhythm back to normal. AEDs help people who have a sudden cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating regularly. This happens when the heart’s natural electrical system doesn’t work correctly. If not treated within minutes, cardiac arrest can quickly lead to death.
The club’s AED was installed thanks to a long period of hard work carried out by Club President John Steel in raising money for the life-saving piece of equipment. John recalled that it his fundraising efforts started as a joke. Members suggested that an AED should be provided since ‘everyone is getting older.’ John set to work, researching defibrillators online. In view of the average age of members at the club, John made a case for the provision of an AED and approached the London Heart Foundation. The Foundation found John’s argument compelling and offered the club a defibrillator at half price – they normally cost £1,500. John set about raising the £750 to buy the AED, securing £250 each, from Lower Broadheath and Broadwas Parish Councils, and Malvern Hills District Council. The AED is accessible to villagers in Broadwas and the general public.
Organised by Malcolm Armstrong, the AED training was provided by Emergency Care Assistant Jim Drewball from Kite Medical Emergency. The opportunity to learn about using the defibrillator was snapped up by Emma Laws, Eileen Holt, Dave Holt, Hazel Felton, Stuart Smith, Sue Curphey, Barry Kirby, Jim Dryden, Mary Dryden, Alison Disley and the Other Bloke. All the volunteers had previously received first aid training.
Jim took us through how to use of the AED, emphasising the simplicity of the device in practical use. He stressed the point that ANY club member can use the device whether they had received training or not. The AED that John Steel secured automatically talks users all the way through its use in an emergency and even provides simple diagrams and descriptions of how to apply the special pads that help analyse heart rhythm and deliver the life-saving shocks to collapse victims. Stuart Smith even offered himself up as a collapsed croquet player in order to demonstrate how patients should be placed in the recovery position.
The code to gain swift access to the AED in case of emergency can be found inside the door of the First Aid cupboard in the clubhouse.
The session was very informative and well delivered by Jim and we thank him for his help as well as to Malcolm for arranging the teaching session and for all the members who participated in the training.
After the meeting Jim told Malcolm ‘Thank you for having me today it was a great atmosphere and I hope you can all take something away from it and I’ve decided that their will be no charge for today’s session.’
Many thanks Jim.
Paul Felton