Rochdale Judo Club win North West Ambulance Service ‘Cardiac Smart’ Gold Award

Rochdale Judo Club Juniors Cardiac Smart Award

Rochdale Judo Club have won the North West Ambulance Service ‘Cardiac Smart’ Gold Award at a ceremony in Lancashire on Friday (4 December).

In July 2015, Rochdale Judo Club funded and installed a “Community Public Access Defibrillator” (CPAD). When callers to 999 are in need of a defibrillator, the 999 operators can direct them to the defib at Rochdale Judo Club and the caller can go and get it and use it on the patient.

The club has also trained every one of the coaching staff and offers training in CPR and how to use a defibrillator.

The award ceremony is the NW Ambulance Service’ premier event of the year and celebrates the lifesaving members of the public who have saved the life of a person in cardiac arrest with a defibrillator and CPR.

Awards are also given to organisations who have made exceptional efforts within their communities to promote the benefits of defibrillators and CPR and have demonstrated a willingness to train others in the skills needed to save the lives of people who suffer a cardiac arrest.

Out of hospital cardiac arrests kill over 60,000 people a year in England alone. It is the biggest killer in the UK as the survival rate is only 9%.

Early recognition of the symptoms, early CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced care are critical in improving the chances of survival of someone in cardiac arrest. This ‘Chain of Survival’ is at the core of the work done by the Cardiac Smart team within NW Ambulance Service NHS Trust and is part of the vital promotion and training performed by organisations like Rochdale Judo Club.