Should a member of the crowd at the VBS Community Stadium require medical attention on a match day, please make the nearest safety steward aware as soon as possible by giving clear and concise information about the location and incident and follow any instructions given.
 
Do not try to get the attention of players or first team medics during the game. There are 2 separate medical teams on match days; 1 team looking after the welfare of everybody on the pitch and 1 team for everybody off the pitch. Both are in contact with the Club’s Ground Safety Officer who will manage any medical emergency.
 
The match day medics and stewards can be recognised within the crowd as follows:
  • Green uniform – crowd medics with connected radios. Stationed near the player’s tunnel unless attending to an emergency.
  • Orange jackets – senior response stewards with response radios. These stewards will be in sight of other stewards and medics at all times and are connected to the control tower.
  • Yellow jackets – crowd safety stewards who work in pairs. They do not all have radios but when together one of them can approach a senior steward or medic whilst the other steward manages the emergency whilst waiting for further help to arrive.
The crowd medics are available and have a full medical equipment and access to a defibrillator with them during the match and from at least one hour before kick off. Static defibrillators are also situated around the ground, donated by The Paul Alan Project. The defibrillator positions are sign-posted, available at all times (match days and non-match days) and can be found at the following locations:
  • Home fan zone: all staff and stewards can access this defibrillator if required by using the keypad on the front of the cabinet. Please do not try to access the defibrillator unless specifically asked to do so by someone managing a medical emergency.
    • Main office building: Between 1898 Lounge and Ambers’ Bar, outside the disabled toilet (alarmed cabinet without a key code). This defibrillator can be accessed by a rescuer in a medical emergency and immediately brought to the casualty.
    • Club shop: On the right hand wall of the club shop (beside the MBA Lounge). This defibrillator with a bleed control kit is accessible 24/7 to the community. It is locked and registered on the national defibrillator database. Access is gained by dialling 999 and giving your location, or, on matchdays, asking a member of staff for assistance.
  • Collingwood Park: Beside turnstile 9. This defibrillator with a bleed control kit is accessible 24/7 to the community. It is locked and registered on the national defibrillator database. Access is gained by dialling 999 and giving your location or, on matchdays, asking a member of staff for assistance.
Should a situation arise where there is a need for the match to be halted, a decision will be taken by the Ground Safety Officer in conjunction with the match officials, with the information relayed to supporters as soon as reasonably possible.
 
The Paul Alan Project runs FREE monthly sessions for all members of the community to gain CPR and AED confidence. These take place regularly in our boardroom from 6 – 8pm. Details can be found here: www.thepaulalanproject.org/training