Defibrillators in shops could save lives - wife of heart attack victim
AFTER seeing her husband's life saved by defibrillator treatment, a Cheltenham woman is urging more of the machines to be stocked by town businesses.
Roger Clifford, from Wyman's Brook, collapsed when he suffered 19 cardiac arrests in quick succession on a visit to Cineworld at The Brewery.
The 60-year-old's life was saved by quick-thinking PC Emma Tandy, who instructed cinema staff to fetch a defibrillator from next door at Fitness First.
Now he and wife Anna are calling for more of the machines – which can restart the heart with electric shock treatment – to be available at more locations.
It comes as an Echo spot-check found 10 of the town's largest retail outlets, including Primark, Marks and Spencer and Boots, did not have the equipment.
Mrs Clifford, 56, said: "If it wasn't for the gym having a defibrillator, my husband wouldn't be here today.
"We were so grateful PC Tandy was quick-thinking enough to remember they had one at the gym.
"But when you look at some of the main shops and other locations in Cheltenham, they don't have them.
"They don't cost a huge amount of money and when you think that it could save someone's life one day, it has got to be a worthwhile investment."
Mr Clifford is recovering from the series of heart attacks, which took place last September.
He praised PC Tandy, who gave him CPR and chest compressions before the defibrillator arrived.
Doctors said without her intervention he would not have survived.
In the Echo survey, carried out at the weekend, staff at Cavendish House, Next, HMV, Topshop, HSBC and WHSmith admitted they had no access to a defibrillator. The machines, which cost around £700, need to be used within minutes of someone suffering cardiac arrest to be at their most effective. Calls for more venues across the town to have access to the machines were backed by bosses at the Great Western Ambulance Service.
Spokesman John Oliver said: "When someone suffers a cardiac arrest the first few moments are vital and can mean the difference between life and death.
"We would certainly be in favour of more shops and businesses investing in defibrillators – especially places where there are likely to be large volumes of people at any one time. It is very useful for ambulance staff to know where the nearest defibrillators are so they can make sure the delay in getting one to a patient is as short as possible."
Comments
by bonzaharris1
Monday, January 30 2012, 5:13PM
“Not a bad idea really. About 18 years or so ago my dad collaped with a massive heart attack followed by a cardiac arrest, whilst he was giving a talk at about retirement of all things. The village hall he was giving the talk in, had the good luck of a doctors surgery next door. The doctor and the nurse kept my dad going until the paramedics arrived with a defribrillator on board which they managed to restart his heart with. Without that he most certainely would have died. As it was, he had a another good 10 or 11 years more. Evidently it would mean staff would have to be trained to use them. But most shops and companies have a designated first aider on site, so perhaps just a little more training would be required.”