First Aid Corps

A man who suffered sudden cardiac arrest recently while exercising at the Mississauga YMCA is expected to recover thanks to facility staff and the presence of a defibrillator.

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After collapsing, 47-year-old Cambridge resident Richard Goodwin was tended to by staff at the Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. facility, who used a “Mikey,” a public access defibrillator, to treat him.

The life-saving device was supplied by The Mikey Network, a registered Canadian charity working to create public awareness and provide education about heart healthy lifestyles. The network has trained more than 11,000 people in CPR/AED and has placed more than 1,350 “Mikeys” in schools, community centres, churches and other locations across the country. To date, according to network officials, 15 lives have been saved by their devices.

“Richard regularly exercised at the Mississauga YMCA. Trained staff performed CPR and applied the MIKEY defibrillator. After one shock, they were able to get a heartbeat on Mr. Goodwin, who was starting his workout, when he collapsed. He was then transported to the Credit Valley Hospital for treatment and is expected to fully recover,” said Mikey Network Chairman Hugh Heron.

The man, believed to be in his 50s, was at the side of the Sheringham pitch, behind the Splash Leisure and Fitness Centre, on Saturday while his 11 year old played in an under-12s match for Horsford Youth Football Club.

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The man, believed to be in his 50s, was at the side of the Sheringham pitch, behind the Splash Leisure and Fitness Centre, on Saturday while his 11 year old played in an under-12s match for Horsford Youth Football Club.

Just a few minutes after the 10.30am kick-off he collapsed and went into cardiac arrest.

Eyewitnesses said two parents performed CPR and another spectator ran into the leisure centre and returned with a defibrillator and staff from the centre, who usaed it to bring him back to life.

The East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) arrived at 10.40am just minutes before paramedics in a land ambulance and rapid response vehicle and Community First Responders.

He was airlifted to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where he was conscious and in a “stable condition”, according to an EAAA spokesman.

She said: “Thanks to a quick-thinking member of the public who immediately started CPR and someone close by with a defibrillator, this patient was conscious when we arrived. This man could very well have these people to thank for saving his life and it just proves how important first aid knowledge is.”

Stuart Smith, 49, from Sheringham, who was preparing a cricket pitch at the time, said: “My understanding is his heart stopped. There was a real community spirit. The spectators must have done a sterling job and looked after him. It was a bit of a shock for the younger players.”

The Horsford team was playing East Coast Warriors under-12s, based on the pitch run by Sheringham and District Sports Association, but the game was abandoned after the emergency.

Dale Webster, 22, manager of the Horsford team, said it was key everyone in sport should know how to use a defibrillator.

“They are a lot of money but save people’s lives. It is something the Norfolk Football Association should look into introducing to sports teams,” he said.

Mr Webster, who looked after the children, including the man’s son, added: “His son was in bits but I spoke to the parents who were not at all panicked and were calm.”

Eddie Copeman, manager of East Coast Warriors, said: “It was a fantastic team effort, It was pure luck there were people at the match who knew what they were doing. They were in command.”

The leisure centre, run by DC leisure, has had a defibrillator since 2005 and staff are regularly trained how to use it.

Chairman of Sheringham and District Sports Association, Charles Sanders, said: “It must have been very distressing, especially his son.”

He added all clubs who played on the ground were first aid trained but he would be bringing up the issue of the importance of community defibrillators at the committee’s next meeting in a fortnight.

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We’d like to thank all those involved for their prompt actions.

“Using the skills they did at the earliest stage gave him the best possible chance of life by getting the heart working again, and it was of such great value to the crews who delivered intense, advanced life-saving skills at the scene and on to hospital.

“The more people learn life-saving skills, the better, because every second counts in these situations.”

The father remained in hospital last night.

A elementary school nurse says she is thankful that her school was equipped with an automated external defibrillator after reviving a custodian who collapsed today in the hallway near her office.

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Walter Haigh Elementary School nurse Tara Hayes said she was in her office when she saw the school’s custodian collapse.

“It was scary, and it was someone I work with and love,” Hayes said.

As the 62-year-old began to lose consciousness, paraprofessional Jomarie Curtis carefully lowered him to the floor in the hallway right next to the nurse office.

“It was the most intense thing I’ve ever seen,” Curtis said.

As Curtis laid the man down, nurse Hayes grabbed the school’s automated external defibrillator (AED) and began to resuscitate him.

“I put it on him, shocked him, and then did CPR, then shocked him again. When I shocked him the second time, his color came back and he knew who I was,” Hayes said.

The school received the AED from the Salem Rotary Club about six years ago, but this is the first time it’s been used in a real-life situation.

“It was a miracle,” Hayes said.

The custodian is recovering in the hospital.

Hayes said she’s been a nurse for 18 years and had never encountered any situation as serious.

“I think every school should have and be trained to use AEDs,” Hayes said.

Anne Arundel County fire officials are crediting the quick work of two health club employees with saving a Pasadena man’s life Friday morning in Millersville.

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The incident took place shortly before 8 a.m. at the Severna Park Raquetball and Fitness Club, located in the 8500 block of Veterans Highway. Fire officials said a 72-year-old man collapsed while playing racquetball. Employees Kevin Davis and Chuck Newby found the man not breathing and without a pulse.

Davis began CPR as Newby assisted, fire officials said.

The employees then applied a shock using a Automatic External Defibrillator, or AED, to the man with no response.

Within two minutes of the call, firefighter Lt. Brian Mayers, who was on duty in the area responded to the club. Mayers took over CPR from Davis as a second shock was applied to the man.

Eventually, the man regained a pulse and began breathing and subsequently regained consciousness, fire officials said.

A Portarlington man was literally brought back to life last month by staff of the leisure centre, after he suffered a serious cardiac arrest in the steamroom.

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A dramatic rescue got underway at the poolside while shocked swimmers were led out, in what was the first resuscitation involving the pool defibrillator.

At about 10am, the gentleman who is in his 60s, was relaxing in the steamroom when he stood up, then simply dropped to the floor. He was no longer breathing and had no heartbeat.

Pam Quirke the Saviour

Luckily another customer was in the steamroom, and she immediately called out for help.

A lifeguard hit the emergency button to alert the centre’s CPR team, led by trainer Pam Quirke, who praised all the staff for their quick reaction.

“It really was an amazing team effort. I was absolutely delighted to see how the training kicked in for everyone, no-one shied away, but we really were emotional afterwards,” she said.

Within 90 seconds, they had begun chest compressions, and called for an ambulance.

Two minutes later, the patient was connected to their defibrillator, receiving his first shock. This gained no response, so the team continued, taking it in turns to giving him breaths and chest compressions. Another stronger shock was administered, and within seconds, the man began to try and breathe on his own.

Two advanced paramedics then arrived on the scene and took over. It was just six minutes into the emergency, but in another stroke of luck, Robert Morton, director of the National Ambulance Service, and Brendan Whelan, head of training, both live in Portarlington. They respond to local calls even while off duty, if they are available.

Minutes later the ambulance arrived so that within an hour and a half of his cardiac arrest, the Portarlington man was receiving specialist treatment at St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

He has recovered remarkably well and a week later had returned home to his wife and family.

“Everything that could have gone right, went right,” said a relieved Pam.

She had particular praise for her gym instructer Julie, who had the foresight to help frightened customers out of the pool, and drove out to tell the patient’s wife and daughter in person about the emergency.

The centre have since received a letter of commendation from Mr Morton of the National Ambulance Service, praising their “swift and dedicated actions in demonstrating the very best that any victim of cardiac arrest could hope for, the ability and determination to save a life”.

Manager Sean Quirke is proud of his staff, who run the only Gold standard White Flag leisure centre in Laois and Offaly.

“Thankfully on this occasion, the combined efforts of a customer raising the alarm, our team, the advanced paramedics, the cardiologist and the customer’s own strength and family support have beaten the odds,” he said.