No defibrillator – no play. That’s the rule Kevin Stott would like to see put into action at every sporting ground across the Illawarra.
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Mr Stott’s brother Antony collapsed and died while playing soccer for Thirroul Thunder at Thirroul’s Thomas Gibson Park on July 16.
His family has taken comfort in the fact that Thirroul Junior Football Club was able to access an automated external defibrillator from the nearby bowling club, and that everything possible was done to save the much-loved school teacher’s life.
Mr Stott has joined forces with Thirroul Junior Football Club and Football South Coast to set up the Antony Stott Memorial Fund to ensure all the region’s soccer clubs have access to defibrillators. He is also keen to team up with other codes to help every sporting club get the lifesaving equipment.
‘’Thirroul soccer club was fortunate that day to have one at the nearby bowls club, but it highlighted the fact that access to such lifesaving equipment is not available at most amateur soccer grounds,’’ Mr Stott said.
‘’We want to raise funds to help other players and families – we’d hate for there to be someone in that situation and not have access. We hope this could extend to different sporting disciplines so one day all grounds on the South Coast have access.’’
Winter swimming club Austinmer Otters has already rallied to the cause; on Wednesday donating defibrillators directly to two clubs who use the Thirroul grounds. Members of both Thirroul Junior Football Club and Thirroul Senior Rugby League Club will now undergo training in their use.
Thirroul JFC president Lindsay Hodda said Antony Stott’s death had had a massive effect on the club.
‘’It’s our mission now to support the memorial fund to help all sporting bodies get these at all sports fields,’’ Mr Hodda said. ‘’If there isn’t one at a ground, then there shouldn’t be a game.’’
Thirroul Senior Rugby League Club president Shane Millard thanked the Austinmer club.
‘’It gives the club peace of mind that if something does happen, then we have this equipment. Our hope is that it sits in the box and we never have to use it,’’ he said.
Austinmer Otters secretary Gary Peers said its club members had decided to put $5000 in funds they had raised to support the Thirroul clubs.
‘’We give back to the community where we can and this was an opportunity for us to support both the local rugby and soccer teams,’’ he said.
Wollongong-based Responder1 supplied the two defibrillators, and will take club members and supporters through the training.
CEO Jamie Caldwell, a former paramedic, said the defibrillators were easy to use, with voice commands to guide operators through the process.
‘’AEDs are used anytime during the process of CPR, and they have the potential to be able to rectify abnormal heart rhythms,’’ he said.
‘’Used together with CPR, it offers a person in cardiac arrest the best chance of survival before the ambulance arrival.’’