The primary school caretaker of Hoylake Holy Trinity, David Morris, was saved by an Oliver King Foundation defibrillator after suffering a heart attack. He is now recovering in hospital.

Head Teacher of the school, Catherine O’Neill Edwards used the donated defibrillator on Mr. Morris after he collapsed.

The Oliver King foundation was set up in memory of 12 year old to raise awareness of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) which affects 4000 people under 40 every year. Their aim is to get at least one defibrillator in every school in Liverpool and Wirral and train staff in how to use them. They are based in Merseyside but are looking to expand further round the North West.

As David Morris collapsed the staff knew exactly what they had to do as they had received training from the foundation. They called for an ambulance straight away, and Ms O’Neill Edwards swiftly got the defibrillator before giving him shocks to re-start his heart.

Paramedics soon arrived on the scene and Mr Morris was taken to hospital. After undergoing an immediate operation, the caretaker is now resting and getting well.

Only had the defibrillator for 26 days

12 members of the school staff, Mr Morris being one of them, were trained to use the defibrillator by the Oliver King Foundation before it was installed. The school only had the defibrillator for 26 days before Mr. Morris had the heart attack, it was a real stroke of luck they got the defibrillator!

Ms O’Neill Edwards felt that God was looking down on the school. In the rush of action said told the local papers she acted on instinct, she didn’t panic, she just went into auto-pilot mode as the defibrillator talked her through the life saving process.

After Ms O’Neill Edwards heroic efforts, Cllr Tony Smith, Wirral council cabinet member for children and family services, made an announcement that “There will soon be life-saving defibrillators in all Wirral schools.”

Openhouse sell a variety of defibrillators that can be used on adults and infants.