“I owe these people so much, they saved my life”: Suffolk man reunited with his life savers

Staff have been praised for their efforts in saving the life of a man who went into cardiac arrest last month.

Alan Hartley, 68, was at One Leisure in Lowestoft when he collapsed on a treadmill, suffering a heart attack before going into full arrest on 23rd January.

Senior Paramedic Alison Hopgood and Emergency Medical Technician Deborah Gibbs were first on scene to help Alan. Minutes later station supervisor James Mullett and Carl Friar provided supported, and an air ambulance from the EAAA arrived shortly after.

Fortunately the leisure centre staff had access to a defibrillator and performed early CPR until our team arrived.

Alan was shocked three times before being resuscitated and airlifted to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. He remained there for just three days before being discharged. It was later that he found out he had suffered a total blockage of the anterior lateral artery.

This week (Monday, 13th February) Alan and his family were reunited with his life savers under happier circumstances. He said: “It’s been great to see everyone, they saved my life. I know these guys don’t do this job for the credit but they really deserve it in my case.”

James credited everyone involved and said: “It was a fantastic effort from everyone involved, including the leisure centre staff. The quick recognition of the severity of the incident by their staff as well as early CPR and use of their defibrillator ensured Alan had the best chance of survival.

He added: “I would also like to thank the call handler and dispatcher involved; they deserve credit for delivering excellent instructions via phone as well as dispatching the appropriate resources Alan needed. Everyone did they part to give Alan his life back to him.”

Published 15th February, 2017

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