Hamilton Rugby Club has received a life-saving defibrillator from the British Heart Foundation.
The device, which is located at the front entrance of the club and is available for use by both club members and the wider community in the event of a cardiac emergency.
Sudden cardiac arrests can happen to anyone, and immediate access to a defibrillator can be the difference between life and death.
Club President David Vickers expressed gratitude for the donation.
He said: “We are incredibly thankful to the British Heart Foundation for their support. This defibrillator will be an essential resource for both the club and the local community. We encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with its location in case of an emergency.”
Youth Convenor Ali Anderson added: “At Hamilton Rugby Club, we pride ourselves on fostering a strong, supportive community both on and off the field.
“As someone passionate about health and well-being, I am thrilled that we now have another defibrillator on-site—an essential piece of equipment that could one day save a life.”
The defibrillator is easy to use, with clear instructions provided, and is designed to be used by anyone in an emergency, even without prior training. Hamilton Rugby Club also plans to host awareness sessions to help people feel more confident using it.
When someone collapses with a cardiac arrest, their heart can go into a kind of quivering limbo called fibrillation.
One of the most effective ways to get it going again is with a sudden and powerful electric shock – and that’s the life-saving job a defibrillator does.
Equipment like this used to require hours of training.
However, with devices now portable, fully automatic defibrillators are being installed in public places so even amateur first-aiders can administer them with minimal instruction.
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