Tuesday 11 February 2014

NAMING BELFAST AIRPORT - GEORGE BEST OR PROF PANTRIDGE?

Countries where Frank Pantridge’s mobile defibrillator is saving lives
A person lying prostrate, surrounded by others desperately trying to revive them after a sudden cardiac arrest.

PROF FRANK PANTRIDGE

Sadly, it’s a scenario that’s been brought into sharp focus in various sporting arenas — most recently with the collapse of Premier League football star Fabrice Muamba during a live televised match two years ago.
In Muamba's case — and these days, fortunately, that of many others — there was a happy ending to the frightening drama.
And that’s largely thanks to a Northern Ireland man: Professor Frank Pantridge.
He’s the cardiologist who invented the portable defibrillator; a device that has helped save millions of lives across the world over the last half decade alone.
Known worldwide as the “father of emergency medicine”, Prof Pantridge’s breakthrough creation has transformed emergency medicine and paramedic services since his first version was installed in a Belfast ambulance in 1965.
As a result of the Queen’s University graduate’s invention, the process emergency departments use to treat cardiac arrest is known as ‘ The Belfast Protocol’.
The portable defibrillator became recognised as a key tool in first aid, and the Hillsborough physician’s refinement of the automated external defibrillator (AED) allowed it to be used safely by members of the public.
All front line ambulances in the UK were fitted with the devices by 1990 and the Belfast treatment system, often known as the ‘Pantridge Plan’, became adopted throughout the world by emergency medical services.
His creation has since been deployed around the world.
Conceived by Prof Pantridge, Prof John Anderson, from Belfast, led the biomedical engineering research into the development of the mobile defibrillator.
Prof Anderson later founded HeartSine Technologies in 1997 with the aim of making the technology more widely available.
HeartSine now designs, develops and manufactures automated external defibrillators ( AEDs), which are now used to save lives in 44 countries. And Singapore has been added to the list after a new contract — the firm’s biggest-ever export deal — was announced.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster revealed yesterday that the Belfast-based company has won a major contract to supply its AEDs to the Singapore Ministry of Defence.
Ms Foster, who is in Singapore to support Northern Ireland companies taking part in the Singapore Air Show, said the deal was excellent news.
(Belfast Telegraph - 11th Feb 2014)

BISHOP PAT SAYS:
THE ABOVE PIECE FROM THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH RECALLS THE INVENTION OF THE DEFIBRILLATOR BY PROFESSOR PANTRIDGE OF THE ROYAL VICTORIA HOSPITAL BELFAST. 
IT HAS SAVED THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS OF LIVES.
AND YET WHEN IT CAME TO NAMING BELFAST CITY AIRPORT THE AUTHORITIES CALLED IT AFTER GEORGE BEST - THE ALCOHOLIC FOOTBALLER!!!


WHY WAS OUR AIRPORT CALLED AFTER AN ALCOHOLIC WHO COULD KICK A LEATHER BAG FULL OF WIND AROUND A FIELD.
WHY WAS IT NOT CALLED AFTER PROFESSOR PANTRIDGE WHO SPENT HIS LIFE SAVING LIVES AND INVENTED THE DEFIBRILLATOR WHICH CONTINUES TO SAVE LIVES?
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE HYPOCRISY AND SHALLOWNESS OF THE MODERN WORLD. 
BELFAST CITY AIRPORT SHOULD BE CALLED PANTRIDGE AIRPORT
BISHOP PAT11.2.2014

8 comments:

  1. I can not agree more with your musing....here here! summa cum laude!

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  2. There is NO competition to be had. We all know whom it should be named after. However, would celebrity culture allow for intelligence, substance and human advancement over money, drink and the fast lifestyle which so many crave for!!

    Friend of the Oratory Society

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  3. Hang on on this one Pat. We all live with our attributes; The Alcoholic Footballer, The Gay Renagade Bishop, The Runnaway Roly Poly Priest. Leave the airport to Georgie. We'll have to find something else for Prof Pantridge-Sean

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    Replies
    1. SEan,

      I get your point.

      I know alcoholism is a disease.

      But there is no need to call an airport after a disease :-)

      Pat

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    2. Its blowing hard over here so I will jump on a gale. The Airport was called after a person and not a disease. If one follows the theory of the great uncorrupted, nobody is safe because of the Original Sin Virus-Sean

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  4. What about Bishop Buckley Airport? That has a certain ring to it, no pun intended!

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    Replies
    1. I still think that Prof Pantridge deserves the honour
      Pat

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    2. Just like Horan International in Knock-Are you identifying a possible pattern Mr/s Anonymous

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