HEALTH
Interview: The Grassroots Post @thegrassrootspost
STATE OF PLAY:
PREMIER LEAGUE DEFIBRILLATOR FUND We kick off 2022 by chatting with referee Anthony Taylor who has taken charge of matches at the highest domestic and international levels and remains a passionate supporter of the grassroots game. As the man in the middle for the Euro 2020 fixture in which Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest, the official witnessed first-hand how rapid-response medical care can be effective in saving lives. Taylor calls on the community to learn CPR skills and shares his support for the Premier League Defibrillator Fund, which is providing more than 2,000 life-saving devices for grassroots facilities. TGP: You were referee at the Euros when Christian Eriksen collapsed. What role did the speed of response play that day? AT: The key thing in that situation was to make sure that Christian received the medical attention he needed. From my own perspective I was fortunate that I was quite close when it happened and I was able to ask the medical staff to come on to the pitch as quickly as possible. A combination of quick thinking by Denmark captain Simon Kjær to recognise the seriousness of the sit-
uation and start CPR - and the quick actions of the medical staff who used a defibrillator and were able to resuscitate Christian - undoubtedly saved his life. They were the real heroes on that particular evening. The earlier somebody who has a cardiac arrest gets that necessary treatment significantly increases the chances of making a full recovery. Every minute without CPR or defibrillation reduces the chances of survival by up to ten per cent. What can be learned from that situation? Sadly, a sudden cardiac arrest is not something that can be predicted. It can happen to seemingly fit and healthy people at any time. But there are actions we can take to reduce the risk in that situation. Simon Kjær’s ability to perform CPR played a role in saving his teammate’s life. So, it’s quite a simple message. Learn to do CPR. The technique is simple and it can be so effective. If as many people as possible equip
themselves with these skills, you can make the football environment safer for yourselves and others. What is the goal of the Premier League Defibrillator Fund and who is it for? The Premier League Defibrillator Fund is about giving grassroots clubs and facilities currently without access to a defibrillator, the chance to have one onsite. Particularly for the lower levels where the medical support is not directly there at the game like it would be in the professional game, it is vitally important that as many venues as possible across the country have the opportunity to have one of the machines fitted. More than 2,000 devices are available to affiliated grassroots clubs that own or operate their own facilities. If they do have to be used, the machines are straightforward to operate. Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, give the user verbal instructions and will detect if a shock is necessary before it is delivered.
