Staffordshire diving club acquires heart-saving device

Apr 2 2009 by Justine Halifax, Birmingham Mail

A DIVING club has become one of the first in the country to have its own defibrillator.

Chillington Divers Club, based at Codsall Leisure Centre in south Staffordshire, has bought a defribillator, which is used to restart a heart after a cardiac arrest, after being awarded a £10,000 lottery grant earlier this year.

The club, which offers training in snorkelling and scuba-diving, has also purchased lifesaving training equipment with the grant.

Paramedic Martin Hammond, a founder member of Chillington Divers Club, said: “I decided to get the defibrillator because there is always the risk of drowning, although thankfully that has never happened in the sport as it has a very good safety record.

“We’ve been one of the most progressive clubs having been awarded Club Mark from Sport England, actively teach life-support to our members and one of the first to have our own defibrillator. We also have oxygen and first aid bags.”