Derek saved by defib which he helped install

WHEN Derek Carter was instrumental in getting a defibrillator installed at the Guernsey Table Tennis Association’s headquarters he did not expect to be the first person to be saved by it.

When Derek Carter, left, had a heart attack while umpiring after playing in a table tennis match, his life was saved by a combination of a defibrillator, which the Foresters Friendly Society, of which he is a trustee, had donated, and the first aid skills of Beau Sejour duty manager Lee Sebire, who was in the building playing euchre. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 21188321)

The 74-year-old is a trustee of the Foresters Friendly Society which, in 2016, donated the device as part of its celebrations of 150 years in Guernsey.

A keen table tennis player, recently he was umpiring a Thursday evening doubles match when he suffered a heart attack.

It was the defibrillator, and the help of qualified lifeguard Lee Sebire who rushed from playing euchre upstairs to operate it, which saved his life.

‘It was definitely one of the best investments that the Foresters have ever made,’ he said.

Mr Carter had not been due to play that night but was filling in as a reserve. He had played two matches and was standing umpiring a doubles match when fate struck.

‘It happened with no warning at all,’ he said. ‘I told my wife later that if I’d died there and then it would have been completely painless.’

The next thing he recalled was being carried on a stretcher towards the waiting ambulance.

Two days after the incident Mr Carter was flown to Southampton General Hospital by air ambulance where he underwent surgery to have a stent and defibrillator/pacemaker fitted.

A fortnight later he returned to Guernsey and is now looking forward to picking up his table tennis bat again.

‘I feel a bit tired and have been struggling to sleep because I’m very bruised from where I fell on my side when it happened,’ he said.

‘I’m just so happy that Lee was there and I’ll forever be grateful to him.’

Guernsey Table Tennis Assocation president Derek Webb said paramedics who attended had said that the defibrillator, and Mr Sebire’s use of it, had saved Mr Carter’s life.

‘Lee was so professional I thought he must have done it before,’ he said. ‘He told me he hadn’t, but said it all came down to the first aid training he got in his job [duty manager] at Beau Sejour.’

The Foresters Friendly Society has also donated defibrillators to the Guernsey Indoor Bowling Association stadium and the Indoor Sports Centre, which share the same building at La Hougue du Pommier, Castel.

‘Whatever happens going forward, that defibrillator has saved somebody’s life,’ said Mr Webb.

Mr Carter said the case highlighted the importance of people being aware of defibrillators, doing the training and feeling comfortable about using them.