Keith’s training at Freemasons’ Lodge meeting saves a life on New Year’s Eve

This January caravanner Ron and his wife Wendy have a new year to look to thanks to a LIVES training session delivered to Freemasons of the Free Wheelers Motorcycle Lodge only weeks before.

That’s when Lodge member Keith Edwards, pictured above, learned what to do in the case of a life-threatening emergency – but he had no idea how valuable it would turn out to be on New Year’s Eve. Keith takes up the story…

“The lady from LIVES gave us an excellent talk about what to do if ever we were faced with someone suffering a heart attack. Using a dummy torso and a defibrillator she taught us what to do.  All very interesting, but at the time little did I know just how useful it would prove to be.  That all changed on the morning of 31st December 2023.

My wife and I were spending Christmas and the New Year in our static caravan at Ashby Park, near Horncastle.   I was drinking a cup of coffee when I heard the lady in the caravan next door shouting her husband’s name.  We know Ron and Wendy quite well, having been caravan neighbours for some years.  Ron has a history of heart problems and had a triple by-pass the previous year.

The frantic shouting told us something was seriously wrong.  I rushed to their caravan and was faced with Ron slouched and completely unresponsive on the sofa.

 The training kicked in and, with another neighbour, we put him onto the floor and I started the chest compressions.

My wife arrived shortly after.  Meanwhile, Ron’s wife was telephoning the emergency services.  I asked her to contact the office for the defib machine.  It had only been a short time, but I was definitely feeling the effects of giving the CPR and the other neighbour took over.  Ron was now showing signs of returning to consciousness, but was very faint and disorientated.

I was now speaking to the emergency services, but the line went dead due to the poor reception in the area.  I rang back and they, realising the possibility of losing contact again, quickly asked me for the address.  With the phone now on speaker my wife took control of the call.

The defib machine is kept in the park reception, and the site manager quickly arrived with it.  As soon as it was opened it started giving the required instructions which I followed, sticking the pads where illustrated.  As instructed we stopped the CPR whilst the machine analysed Ron’s heart.  The machine stated that a shock was required, and so the red button was pressed and the shock delivered.  We were instructed to continue chest compressions, again sharing the task.

Ron became more conscious, and the emergency services asked if he could now talk.  He answered when we spoke to him and the operator told us to stop CPR for the moment and to keep him talking.

We kept Ron as calm as we could and waited for the ambulance.  Every so often the defib machine would instruct us to cease contact as it re-checked his heart, but he needed no further shocks or compressions.

My wife said she could hear the ambulance coming; the most welcome sound I have heard in a long time.

The experts arrived and took over.  My wife left to take care of Ron’s spaniel, Sam, who was clearly concerned by what was happening to his dad.  I left shortly after to allow space for the ambulance crew to work.

I suddenly felt very weird!  I couldn’t speak, and a wave of emotion hit me.  I suspect it was coming down from the adrenalin rush.  After stabilising him, the ambulance crew took Ron to hospital.

The emergency team had arrived in two vehicles and had left one behind as all three members travelled with Ron.  A few hours later, when they came back to collect the other vehicle, they knocked on my door to ask if they could refer my details to the ambulance service for recognition for the part we had played in saving Ron’s life.

If you get the opportunity to attend one of the LIVES training sessions, don’t hesitate.  You CAN make a difference.

Ron is now recovering in Lincoln hospital.”

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