Bath-based paramedic Simon Moody has been hailed a hero after he stepped in to save the life of a Clevedon man, while off duty, and is encouraging everybody to learn the lifesaving CPR skill.
South Western Ambulance Service’s (SWASFT) paramedic Simon Moody was off duty and stuck in Bath city centre traffic in the pouring rain in May 2017 when he noticed a man looking unwell on the pavement.
It soon became clear the man was struggling to breath and was going into cardiac arrest at the side of the road, as passers-by tried to help.
Luckily for the patient, Simon stepped straight in and gave him chest compressions putting his paramedic life-saving skills into action before backup from his ambulance crew mates arrived.
For the patient, Viv Ware from Clevedon, it was a case of right place at the right time, as it was down to Simon’s quick thinking and intervention that he survived that day and his heart started to beat again.
Viv was rushed to the Royal United Hospital, Bath where he got further treatment and went on to make a full recovery.
This week Viv Ware and his wife Julie went along to Bath Ambulance station to meet Simon and his other paramedic crew mates who helped to rescue him that day and to say thanks.
Simon said it was a humbling experience meeting Viv again: “I must say that such events bring a real sense of satisfaction and underpins what we all do day in day out and we should all be extremely proud of being part of the team that successfully reverted his cardiac arrest enabling Viv to live another day and get back to work within three months.
“Every year hundreds of people across the south west experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Anyone, at any age and at any time can go in to cardiac arrest. The vast majority happen at home or in a public place, which is why it is vital for as many people as possible to learn how to carry out CPR.
“Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest and bystander CPR increases the chance of survival by up to three times.
“At the ambulance service we are working hard to see as many defibrillators as possible available across the region too and would encourage people to get in touch to register their device if they haven’t already. Using defibrillators can, and does, save lives.
“As a paramedic I know that the sooner basic life support and/or a defibrillator can be provided to someone in cardiac arrest the better their chance of survival. It is so important to publicise the benefits of CPR wherever possible.
“I urge people to make sure they and their family and also their children know how to do CPR as I’m a great supporter of the Restart a Heart campaign.”
