Heartfelt irony

By Nicole Williams
SPRINGVALE CFA officers saved a man’s life after he collapsed during a football game in Dingley last month.
But in a bizarre twist, the football ground was waiting for the delivery of a defibrillator at the time of the incident.
The 39-year-old man left the field after complaining of chest pain during the morning game on Saturday 31 March and suffered a cardiac arrest soon after.
The Springvale Emergency Medical Response (EMR) team was first on scene and members were able to perform CPR, with assistance of a defibrillator, until an ambulance arrived.
Springvale Senior Station Officer Bernie Frawley said the quick response might have saved his life.
“We hooked him up to the defibrillator and analysed his heart rate,” he said.
“The defib recommended to give him a shock which we did and then continued CPR for about five minutes before the ambulance arrived.”
The man was put into an induced coma and taken to the Monash Medical Centre where he is still recovering.
Wayne Holdsworth, CEO of the Southern Football League, said it was ironic that the Dingley Dingos, who trained at the ground, had recently accepted a grant for a defibrillator, but it was still two weeks away when the man collapsed.
“It quite ironic in that the club had accepted a grant for one (a defibrillator) and was waiting for it to arrive,” he said.
“But there is no evidence it would have made any difference in this case.”
Mr Holdsworth said the league had been encouraging clubs to get defibrillators for several years.
Mr Frawley said the incident was an example of how important it was to respond quickly to these emergencies and how the EMR program had saved lives.
“It makes all the difference in the world – the EMR program at Springvale allows us to get to an incident quickly and start working on the patient,” he said.
“For us to get a positive outcome like we did on the weekend was fantastic.
“By all working together – the trainers, firefighters and paramedics – we have a better chance of getting a good result.”
Since the trial began in September last year at Springvale CFA, EMR crews have attended 57 incidents.
EMR crews are trained to provide CPR and first aid, including to trauma victims, until ambulance crews arrive.