NZ Football’s Injury Prevention team and the WaiBOP Federation held their first Smart Start AED’s In Clubs educational roadshow on the evening of October 18 at Cambridge FC’s clubrooms.

Club Members from Te Awamutu AFC, Matamata Swifts and Cambridge FC, plus a few members of the local community, were present to learn first-hand from ZOLL’s expert Mike on how to correctly use the AED units and assist in saving a life, should an event occur at their club. All three clubs present meet and hold the current revised QCM standards of New Zealand Football Quality Club Mark (QCM), which qualified them to receive a free AED, valued at nearly $3000.

NZ Football’s Injury Prevention Specialist for the WaiBOP Federation, Louise Trappitt, organised the Smart Start AED education evening and some additional heart themed treats (which may or may not have been heart healthy…there were plenty of AED’s close at hand just in case).

In the WaiBOP region, NZ Football’s Smart Start AED’s in Clubs programme is extremely beneficial to clubs and their communities, particularly those that are some distance from a metro hospital. Being a rural club can increase the time taken for an ambulance to arrive on the scene and time is a critical factor in saving lives.

If you would like to know more on NZ Football’s Smart Start AED’s In Clubs Programme visit here.

For more information or contact New Zealand Football National Injury Prevention Manager Megan Crockett at meg.crockett@nzfootball.co.nz

Photo: Louise Trappitt.

 

More Information

  • NZF has distributed 60 fully funded Smart Start AED’s into the NZ football community in the last 2 weeks.
  • NZF has a vision for all NZ football clubs and associations to have a Smart Start AED and programme over the next three years.
  • NZF is providing subsidies on Smart Start AED’s for all NZ football clubs that wish to purchase these at a significantly reduced rate.
  • The Smart Start AED’s in Clubs education roadshows are set to educate and teach our clubs how to use the AED’s, how to create a club medical emergency plan and be prepared should your club need to react in a cardiac emergency.
  • Also click here.