A community defibrillator has been installed at Motherwell FC’s Fir Park thanks to the Well Society.
Local groups were invited to the stadium to raise awareness that the equipment is now installed and ready for use in an emergency.
The club wanted to install the defibrillator after a ‘near miss’ concerning a member of the public a few weeks ago.
Stadium manager Robert Park told Lanarkshire Live : “A neighbour collapsed and a family member asked us for help whilst they waited for the ambulance.
“The club has defibrillators, so I took one with me.
“At one point the gentleman stopped breathing and I started to use the defibrillator. In the end, he started breathing again and the defibrillator wasn’t required.
“The ambulance arrived at this point and took over.
“It struck me that as a local landmark and community club we should have a defibrillator outside the stadium, a potential life-saver in the event of an emergency.”
After the Well Society made funds available, the Kieran McDade Foundation, a local charity, assisted the club in purchasing the equipment.
Kieran was 13 years of age when he suffered a cardiac arrest and died during a training session with his team.
Martin Holmes, one of the founders of the Foundation, joined representatives from Motherwell FC, the Well Society and the Scottish Ambulance Service to see the equipment unveiled ready for public use.
Tom Feely, co-chairman of the Well Society, said: “It’s important for the Society to represent the interests of the community in the running of the club.
“If putting the defibrillator outside the ticket office at Fir Park can save one life, it’s worth it.
"Anyone can use a defibrillator, and we need to make sure everyone knows it’s there.”
The defibrillator is sited outside Motherwell FC’s ticket office on Firpark Street.
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