New equipmentat sports centrecould save a life

The equipment has been provided thanks to co-operation between the sports centre , Rother Responders and a local builder.

It is in memory of Douglas Hollett who sadly passed away last year at the sports centre.

Rother Responders donated the defibrillator and signage while Freedom Leisure run Rye Sports Centre paid for the defibrillator cabinet.

W. Tollett General Builders Ltd kindly installed it all.

The defibrillator will be available for access at anytime of the day or night and has been added to the PAD database held by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

This means when a Cardiac Arrest 999 call is received in the ambulance control room, the operator will be aware of the nearest Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) site.

If the PAD is close enough to the location of the patient they will ask someone to go to the PAD box and return to the patient with the defibrillator.

Once back at the patient, the relative or bystander will be given instructions over the phone detailing how to turn on the machine and apply the defibrillator pads to the patient.

The Automated External Defibrillator will also give easy to follow instructions at each step to assist people.

Rother Responders, your local Community First Responder Scheme, are a team of volunteers who have been trained to respond to emergency calls through the 999 system in conjunction with South East Coast Ambulance Service.

The scheme was established in November 2012 and covers Rye and other communities in Rother.

It is not intended to replace ambulances, their role is to provide emergency medical care and life support in those critical few minutes before the ambulance crew arrives and can take over.

To find out more public access defibrillators and to see when Rother Responders next free defibrillator training session is, please see the website: www.RotherCFR.co.uk.