How one defibrillator saved two lives

Two runners survived a sudden cardiac arrest within weeks of each other thanks to the same defibrillator that was registered on The Circuit.

Malcolm collapsed and stopped breathing in March this year during a relay race on Glasgow Green, but a defibrillator located 200 metres away was used to restart his heart.

Then, just weeks later in April, Stephen took part in a lunchtime run in the park and also suffered a cardiac arrest. Again, the same defibrillator was used restart his heart.

In both cases, a member of the public called 999, and the emergency call handler directed them to the nearest defibrillator registered on The Circuit – the national network which allows emergency services to locate and direct callers to the lifesaving devices. The defibrillator was on the outside wall of the nearby boathouse.

Malcolm says: “I was running when I started to feel unwell and shortly after that I blacked out. Another runner phoned 999 and was directed to the defibrillator which was about 200 metres away at the boathouse. I’m just incredibly fortunate that it happened when it did, where it did.

“One of the main reasons that I'm still alive today is that the passersby who witnessed my collapse were directed to the nearest defibrillator by the emergency services. This was only possible because the defib had been registered on The Circuit.”

Stephen also owes his life to the device and says: “I decided to come and run the 3k on the Green event. People told me that I collapsed spectacularly and got everyone’s attention. Someone went to fetch the defibrillator, and I understand that I had several minutes of CPR and then 1 shock from the defibrillator.

"The fact that the defib was there, so close to me, is the reason why I am here today. What are the odds of 2 people and the same defib? Its miraculous.”

Defibrillator Guardian, Rebecca, continued: “When I found out that our defibrillator had saved 2 men’s lives, it was overwhelming and quite emotional.  

Had the defibrillator not been available to the public and registered on The Circuit, then these 2 men may have lost their lives.  

It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to register a defibrillator, and it saves lives, so really it is a no-brainer.”