Last November, Muriel went to bed with indigestion type pain and arm pain, putting it down to the curry she’d eaten earlier that day. In the early hours of the following morning, she collapsed into cardiac arrest. Her daughters are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and followed the instructions given by the emergency call handler to do chest compressions. 

Alan Gellvear, Senior Paramedic Team Leader and Christine Ball, Emergency Medial Technician 1 were sent to help Muriel in a radpid response ambulance, whereby they continued the resuscitation and shocked her with the defibrillator several times. They were soon supported by the colleagues Craig Pattinson, Paramedic and Kriss Spencer, Student Paramedic. The collective team effort meant Muriel’s heart was successfully restarted in her bedroom after approximately 30 minutes; and it was found that the cause of the cardiac arrest was a heart attack. 

After being put into an induced coma and having three stents fitted, Muriel was woken from her coma and found she had suffered no brain damage from the cardiac arrest. The quick actions from her daughters to start chest compressions immediately proves how early CPR is vital in the chain of survival.

Well done to the crew who helped Muriel.