[Credit: Press release from St John Cymru Wales 09-09-2016 - www.stjohnwales.org.uk]
An off duty St John Cymru Wales volunteer who recently helped to save a man’s life after performing CPR following an accident on the A55 last month is encouraging others to learn vital life saving first aid skills this September.
Liam Booth, 18, who volunteers with St John Wales’ Llandudno division, was travelling to work along the A55 when he came across the accident.
Liam said: “I was travelling through Colwyn Bay when the traffic ahead of me suddenly stopped. I pulled over onto the hard shoulder, grabbed my first aid kit and went to see if I could provide any help.”
Liam performed CPR for nearly 15 minutes until paramedics arrived on the scene. A paramedic who attend the incident commented: “The patient was given high quality CPR by Liam and there is no doubt that it contributed to his overall survival. He remained calm and had taken control of the scene before we arrived.”
“It was an excellent example of the chain of survival implemented well - early 999 call, immediate CPR, early defibrillation and rapid evacuation to hospital. The sequence of events could not have gone better and Liam played a key role in the whole event. To consider it was his first real arrest he did an excellent job.”
The patient was taken to hospital but has since been allowed home and is expected to make a good recovery.
Not everyone will have a qualified St John Wales first aider on hand at the scene of an accident. That is why during September, we’re asking people to sign up to one of 3,000 awareness sessions across Wales to learn vital life saving skills that could save someone’s life.
Liam is also encouraging others to take advantage of free first aid training being provided by the charity. He said: “I knew what to do thanks to my training and through the scenarios we regularly practice. I was able to quickly assess the patient and when he wasn’t breathing, I knew I had to start CPR immediately. For people who might not have the skills or the confidence to help, a quick first aid course could really be the difference.”
Keith Dunn OBE, Chief Executive for, St John Cymru Wales said: “We believe that no one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. That’s why our aim is to have a first aider in every home in Wales. We want to reach as many people as possible, so that more people are equipped with the skills to save a life. Liam’s training and presence of mind to act calmly and effectively in a difficult situation shows just how valuable first aid training can be.”
Anyone interested in learning first aid can sign up for a free 2 hour first aid awareness session during September at www.stjohnwales.org.uk/savealife or call 0345 678 5646 for more information.
Ends.
Notes:
- Only 1 in 10 people have the necessary skills to save a life.
- Up to 59% of deaths from injury may have been prevented if first aid was given before the emergency medical services arrived*
- St John Cymru Wales’s vision is to have a first aider in every home.
- St John Cymru Wales is Wales’ first aid charity. Every day, our volunteers help keep communities across Wales safe.
- We do not receive any core government funding, so we depend on charitable donations to enable us to help save lives across Wales.
- Each year we train over 26,000 people in first aid skills that could save someone’s life.
- Save a Life September runs for the whole of September. Sessions are available during the day, evenings and weekends across Wales.
- We also provide emergency first aid, deliver medical cover at events and support the NHS in responding to 999 emergency calls.
- Only 1 in 4 parents know how to administer CPR to a baby correctly.
*According to a 2016 study commissioned by the British Red Cross and conducted by the University of Manchester; titled ‘Are prehospital deaths from trauma and accidental injury preventable?’