Life-saving TV presenter gets defibrillator training

A weather presenter who helped save a man's live with CPR has been given formal training in using a defibrillator.

BBC South Today's Alexis Green used her basic first aid training to help the man who collapsed at a sporting event in August.

The experience prompted her to take up Southampton-based charity Heartbeat's offer of training in the use of defibrillators.

Ms Green said the extra knowledge had made her "even more confident" in potentially helping someone who had gone into cardiac arrest.

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) can be used by anyone, without training, in the event of someone's heart stopping or beating abnormally outside of a hospital, although people are advised to call 999 first.

The device checks the heart rhythm and gives a high-energy shock to the heart to restore normal rhythm, but only if needed.

Defibrillators are used for people suffering a cardiac arrest and not a heart attack.

Sharon Brady became a fundraiser for Southampton charity Heartbeat after her husband James died of cardiac arrest following a sudden heart attack at the age of 57, in 2021.

Along with her brother, she has raised more than £25,000 towards helping Heartbeat install new defibrillators across the south of England.

She said she wanted to buy something to "help save somebody's life."

“We knew that we would raise a fair bit of money, as James was a hugely popular guy, and had a lot of friends but we were shocked when we saw what we’d raised," she added.

Alexis Green, the lead weather presenter for the south region, covering Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Dorset, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, was called on to help an elderly man who had gone in to cardiac arrest last month.

Along with other passers-by, she performed CPR before a defibrillator was found and used.

The man was sitting up in bed in hospital within hours, she was later told.

He later got in touch with Ms Green to thank her with a bottle of champagne and said: “We must all enjoy the bubbles whilst we can and Alexis gave me the chance to do just that."

Ms Green has since received training from Heart Start Meon Valley - a training partner with Heartbeat - in using a defibrillator effectively.

“I did what I had to do in the heat of the moment back in August.

"Getting the extra training using a defibrillator has really helped me to be even more confident in helping someone who’s gone in to cardiac arrest.

"Anyone can learn, even children from the age of four are being trained to do CPR and use a defibrillator," she added.

Across the UK each year, ambulances are sent out to 30,000 people who have had a cardiac arrest outside of hospital, but the survival rate is only one in 10.

Heart Start's founder, former paramedic, David Williamson helps train people in the use of defibrillators for free, even teaching children what to do in a cardiac emergency.

"People have to have the confidence to be able to use the defibrillator.

"Defibrillators are located all over the place now - at village halls, inside pubs.

"Everyone can do the training - some grandparents may be looking after their grandchildren. What would happen if they collapsed? The child would need to know what to do."

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