Chelsea Football Club would like to make supporters and visitors aware of important information and guidance to ensure the health and safety of everyone attending matches at Stamford Bridge.
The club takes the safety of supporters and visitors seriously, with a Matchday Medical Plan and dedicated crowd medical teams.
The Crowd Safety Medical Team is dedicated to the care for and treatment of ill and injured supporters. It works directly with the venue’s safety officer. The team typically consists of two crowd doctors, paramedics, nurses and first responders. These groups are trained and experienced in pre-hospital care and are equipped to deal with life-threatening emergencies.
Should a supporter become unwell and require medical assistance, we ask supporters to report this to a steward by providing clear, concise information about the situation and location, as they will need to relay this to the safety officer.
For each fixture, as a minimum, there will be a doctor and paramedic with each club’s physiotherapist usually in attendance. During a match, they are responsible for managing illness and injury on the field of play i.e., for players, coaching staff and the match officials.
Supporters are asked not to alert players or staff on the pitch, as the crowd medical team are there to manage medical care as the match continues. Should a situation arise where there is a need for the match to be halted, a decision will be taken between the crowd medical team, the ground safety team, and the match officials, with the information relayed to the supporters at the ground.
Defibrillators on a match day
There are 13 defibrillators situated around the stadium at key locations. The locations of the defibrillators are detailed and listed and are covered during all briefings at the stadium for safety stewards and St. John Ambulance personnel. These range from pre-positioned machines to mobile ones with various medical teams.
If a defibrillator is required, the crowd doctor and the paramedic carry a defibrillator. If they are not the first medical staff on the scene, a member of the St John Ambulance will be sent to collect it, or, if more expedient, a safety steward will take it to the location of the incident.
First Aid posts
There are two operational First Aid posts, both of which are fully equipped with a minimum of one treatment couch and an area for treating minor injuries. St John Ambulance First Aid personnel staff both rooms and have access to a crowd doctor and paramedic.
Steward positions
Note that stewards located at the front of the stands and at the segregation lines are not able to leave their positions as their roles are to ensure effective emergency evacuation should the need arise.
In these positions, the steward would signal for a supervisor to make contact with the control room. Stewards in all other areas can leave their post and either locate a supervisor, respond to a situation, or use an emergency phone to contact the control room.
The stewards are briefed on the procedures for medical incidents before each match and should always be the first stage in the process for anyone who requires medical assistance.
We continue to thank you for your support in assisting the Safety Team with these matters.