A life-saving defibrillator has been installed at a popular beach sports venue in honour of one of its founders.
Staff at Yellowave in Brighton raised the money needed to maintain the machine following the death of Alan Randall, who suffered a fatal heart attack in 2012.
The defibrillator is outside the venue so it can be used on anyone suffering a cardiac arrest inside, on the beach or along Madeira Drive. The machine was given to Yellowave by the Sussex Heart Charity and the company raised the money to go towards maintenance costs by selling specially created calendars.
Mr Randall, 66, was a director at Yellowave and helped set up the venue ten years ago. He was also previously chief executive at hospitals in Worthing and Eastbourne.
His daughter, Katie Mintram, who is also a Yellowave director, said:
“We hope it will never be used but it could save a life if it is. The defibrillators can be used by any member of the public and there is no need for training to use it, just simply follow the audio instructions. We are extremely thankful to the Sussex Heart Charity for supplying the defibrillator. This end of Madeira Drive is really isolated at times in terms of access and yet thousands of people cycle, walk or are involved in large scale events here. Having the defibrillator machine is quite reassuring.”
The Argus launched its Save a Life campaign towards the end of 2015 in a bid to get more defibrillators available in the community. It called on hotels, schools, clubs, charities and businesses to pledge to install one of the life-saving machines.
More than 100 pledges were subsequently made, with large hotels including The Grand in Brighton and Hilton Brighton Metropole getting them installed. The campaign was also backed by churches around the county and Hove-based DJ Norman Cook, who had a defibrillator put up at his Big Beach Cafe.
The machines are safe and simple to use and cannot do any harm. They will not work on someone unless they have gone into cardiac arrest.