Youri Battoia and his friend Anthony saved the life of an opponent who suffered a heart attack during a veterans football match in the Charleroi region. The 38-year-old soldier tells us what happened.
This Friday, November 8, Ligny hosted Gosselies for a veterans football match. A meeting that seemed ordinary but which changed in the second half when a Gosselies player collapsed in the middle of the field. “He complained to a teammate that he wasn’t feeling well and 10-15 seconds later he passed away shaking“, explains Youri, a player from Ligny.
“My friend Anthony, with whom I am in the army and whom I have known for over 20 years, was right next door. The Gosselies player was having an epileptic attack, but in fact he was convulsing. Anthony put him in the recovery position, but he had no pulse or breathing. It was a heart attack. He looked directly at me and I asked for the defibrillator“, says Yuri, not without emotion.
The two soldiers, trained in first aid, therefore began treatment. “During this time, they started cardiac massage, with two breaths every 30 pressures“. In total, the victim received 4 shocks and Youri and Anthony took turns performing the cardiac massage until the SMUR arrived.
Reassuring news
Embarked in a hospital in the Charleroi region, the player was better this Monday morning. “He called me. He was in his right mind and thanked me. The doctor told me that he was alive and that he had no after-effects thanks to our intervention.“, declares our witness, reassured.
The victim would present a medical history. She has already suffered two heart attacks and undergone heart bypass surgery.
Good gestures
If you are faced with a similar situation, here are some tips on the right actions to adopt. The first instinct to have is obviously to call 112 to give the following information: the cause of the call, your name, and the precise location of the accident.
While waiting for help, you can begin a cardiac massage: 30 strong pressures in the middle of the thorax, pushing the sternum 5 to 6 centimeters at a rate between 100 and 120 pressures per minute (i.e. the rhythm of the song “Stayin’ Alive ” of the Bee Gees).
If a defibrillator is available at the scene of the accident, use it. Undress the victim and place the electrodes on his chest. Then keep the people present aside while the machine is carrying out the analysis and electric shock. Practice cardiac massage until the arrival of the device and between shocks if necessary, specifies the Belgian Cardiological League.
In Belgium, all sports clubs must have a defibrillator. A mobile application is also available, “Reanim” and allows you to locate the nearest defibrillator. It will also remind you of first aid actions thanks to illustrations and videos.
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