Defibrillators for Sports Clubs and Leisure Centres

Why sports clubs plan for cardiac arrest

Sport brings together people of all ages and fitness levels, and a cardiac arrest can happen to a player, an official or a spectator. Clubs are often busy at weekends and in the evenings, and pitches can be some distance from the clubhouse. The faster CPR and a shock are delivered, the better the chance of survival.

What to look for in a sports club AED

• Built for busy and outdoor placesThe Comen G Series is protected against dust and water (IP55), can withstand a 1.5 m drop, and the G3 and G3A have an operating temperature of −5 to 50 °C.
• Adult and child usePlayers and spectators can be any age. The G Series has adult and paediatric pads pre-connected and a one-touch adult and child switch.
• Works in noisy placesAutomatic volume adjustment helps the voice prompts be heard on a busy touchline or in a sports hall.
• Ready quicklyIt is ready in under 2 seconds after the lid is opened, with voice prompts and a CPR metronome to guide the rescuer.

Where to keep it

Keep it close to the pitch, courts or pool, not locked away, and where it can be reached whenever the facility is in use. If it has to be locked up, make sure everyone knows who holds the key. A device kept outside needs protection from the weather and from theft, so think about storage as well as the device. On a site with several pitches or buildings, one defibrillator may not be within reach of all of them.

Matches, events and volunteers

Name a person responsible for the defibrillator and make sure coaches, first aiders and volunteers know where it is. Add it to your event and match-day plans, and tell visiting teams and officials where it is kept. No formal training is needed to use an AED, but AED and CPR awareness for coaches and volunteers is recommended.

Looking after it

Check the status indicator on a regular routine, for example weekly, and keep a simple log. Note the expiry dates of the pads and the battery so replacements are ordered in time. The G3 and G3A pads have a validity period of 42 months, and their battery is disposable and maintenance-free with a standby life of more than 6 years under the manufacturer's stated conditions. Replace the pads after any use. We supply replacement defibrillator pads for the G Series and for most other makes. Register the defibrillator on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, so that the ambulance service can direct a 999 caller to it.

Which defibrillator do we suggest?

We suggest the Comen G Series AED (G3, G3A, G5 and G5A): voice-guided, with adult and paediatric pads pre-connected, up to 360 J, and IP55 protection. Semi-automatic and fully automatic versions are available. Tell us about your club and we will suggest the right model and send a quote. Standard dispatch is 48 hours.

OscarTech UK is an approved supplier on the NHS Supply Chain framework for external defibrillation devices and related services and accessories. If you buy through NHS Supply Chain, contact us to confirm whether the model you need is available under the framework.

This page is general information, not medical advice. Follow your local first-aid and resuscitation guidance and seek clinical advice where you need it.