WESTBROOK – Fast action by the Westbrook School Department’s athletic trainer revived a basketball referee who collapsed on the court during a game at Westbrook High School on Thursday.

The incident occurred during the second quarter of a girls junior varsity exhibition basketball game against Falmouth. The referee collapsed near the end of the second quarter, according to a Westbrook school official.

Westbrook Athletic Director Marc Sawyer said Friday athletic trainer Anita Dixon and her staff rushed to aide the referee, who suffered a health condition. “He wasn’t doing well,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer said Dixon and her staff of four students – two from University of New England and two from University of Southern Maine – raced to the referee’s side and were there within five seconds.

Dixon employed an automated external defibrillator, according to Sawyer, who said she carries the device everywhere. Sawyer said Dixon and her staff brought the referee to a “stable condition.”

“They did a excellent job,” Sawyer said. “Remarkable, they were awesome, professional and spot on.”

Sawyer did not release the name of the referee, who was transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland by a Westbrook ambulance. Sawyer heard that the referee was in stable condition Friday and “doing remarkably well.”

Sawyer said Dixon and her staff followed all protocols. Dixon is a contract trainer at the Westbrook schools from Riverview Physical Therapy, where Greg Knapton is the director.

Knapton believes Dixon and her staff saved the referee’s life.

Sawyer did not disclose any specific medical condition that might have caused the referee to collapse. But, the electrical device is generally employed in potential life-threatening cardiac cases.

Knapton, who was in another function in the school at the time the referee collapsed, said he had heard that the referee had been unconscious after falling.

“They shocked him once,” said Knapton who said the man had regained consciousness when the rescue arrived.

Besides Dixon’s work, Knapton said two members of Dixon’s staff administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to the referee while another of Dixon’s staff called dispatch.

The gym was evacuated. Sawyer said fans and players were “extremely supportive.”

Knapton said Dixon, who holds a master’s degree, has been at Westbrook for three years.

“She stayed very calm and took over the situation,” Knapton said.