Thirty-five-year-old Justin Bowker says he owes his life to Melville Recreation Centre staff and the centre’s defibrillator after his heart stopped beating during an exercise class.
Staff took quick action to conduct CPR and use the defibrillator to revive the East Fremantle resident when he collapsed from an exercise bike during a circuit class.

Justin returned to Melville Recreation Centre to thank centre staff for their professional response and having the foresight to install a defibrillator. “They saved my life,” he said. “Their quick thinking and the fact they had a defibrillator close by is the reason I’m still here.”

Following Justin’s cardiac arrest, staff member Terry Hathaway and a centre user quickly commenced CPR while Lifestyle Services Programs Manager Peter de Lang used the defibrillator to help regain and regulate Justin’s heartbeat.

Mr de Lang said Justin was a lucky man. “The fact that CPR commenced immediately bought us the extra couple of minutes needed to attach the defibrillator and deliver the life-saving shock,” he said.

When an ambulance arrived, Justin was taken to Fremantle Hospital. After examinations, the doctors determined the reason Justin collapsed was due to damage to his heart caused by a virus he had about six weeks previously.

“My heart didn’t stop because I was exercising,” Justin said. “It could have happened anywhere – walking down the street, at the shops, wherever. I am actually fortunate it happened at Melville Rec. To have people around me who knew what to do and to have a defibrillator on hand is what got me through.”

The City of Melville installed defibrillators at its aquatic and recreation centres in February last year to provide a quick response in the unlikely event of a patron suffering heart problems. Defibrillators are machines that automatically monitor a person’s heart rate and administer an electric pulse to re-establish normal heart rhythm if necessary..

Mayor Russell Aubrey said the City of Melville was one of the first local governments to install defibrillators at its aquatic-recreation centres. “The Council recognised the undoubted benefits that could be gained from having defibrillators available for emergency use,” he said. “Now one of our centre’s patrons has experienced the benefits first hand.”

Mayor Aubrey said the City’s aquatic and recreation centres received more than 1.1 million visits each year. “The City strives to ensure our patrons’ safety while they are using our facilities,” he said. “The defibrillators form part of our emergency response plans and add extra reassurance to our members and casual patrons. All staff are trained in first aid and in the use of the defibrillators and receive regular refresher courses.”

Justin, who now has a small defibrillator permanently inserted into his chest, said he encouraged other businesses and organisations to install defibrillators at their premises. “Until you are faced with a situation where you need a defibrillator, you are pretty oblivious to their existence,” he said. “I now know how essential they are.”

Ian Wishart knows that without the quick thinking of staff at Nunawading Aqualink, he would have drawn his final breath.
The Ringwood man was swimming at Aqualink one day early in 2008 when he had a heart attack, sank to the bottom of the pool and stopped breathing. "I didn't feel a thing there were no warning signs," Mr Wishart said.

"I was dead when they pulled me out of the water I was full of water and had stopped breathing," Mr Wishart said.
Luckily the trained lifeguards had a defibrillator machine on hand.
"If I had of been at home it would have been the end of me," Mr Wishart said.
"I was lucky it happened where it did."

Lifesavers Becky Locking, Brendan Rush, Anita Williams, Trudi Imberger and Leanne Fletcher, were directly involved in the rescue, and were eventually honoured with Whitehorse Council certificates.
Council chief executive Noelene Duff, who made the presentation, said it was the kind of crisis that tests people personally and professionally.
"Although our Aqualink staff have undergone training and test runs for this kind of situation, it has to be said they managed it outstandingly well," Ms Duff said.

Aqualink Centre manager Kim Gasch and staff members Leigh Howlett, Jenny Bruzzanti, Kelly George, Kris Anderson and Will Hodder were also recognised for their roles in the rescue and resuscitation.
"It was a fantastic team effort," Ms Gasch said.

Mr Wishart was unconscious for a week after his heart attack and spent a month in intensive care.
"The doctors didn't give me much of a chance of living or thought I would have severe brain damage if I did because of the time I went without breathing, but I am nearly fully recovered," he said.

He now swims three or four times a week.

When Sydney Grammar School maths teacher Bill Pender collapsed due to cardiac arrest, colleague Belinda Maitz knew exactly what to do.Belinda, who is the school’s nurse, strictly adhered to the chain of survival – call for the paramedics, apply CPR and use a defibrillator.Her efforts, and the school’s policy of having a defibrillator on site, saved Bill’s life.

“The school decided to purchase a defibrillator because we had a few students with heart conditions and thought it was the responsible thing to do,” says Belinda.“I absolutely believe that applying CPR, using the defibrillator and of course calling the paramedics immediately all combined to save Bills’ life.”Belinda plays a major role at the school. She applies first aid, assists students with minor illnesses and has a pivotal role in health promotion.The Darlinghurst-based boy’s school, which has more than 1100 students, has two defibrillators – one at the school and another stored at its nearby sports ground.

This is the first time a defibrillator was used at the school and Belinda hopes it will be the last. If not, at least she will know what to do in an emergency.

An old digger thanked two quick-thinking St John Ambulance volunteers who saved his life at a recent Gosford Anzac Day ceremony.
War veteran Allan Stockton was marching on April 25 but started to suffer breathing difficulties and chest pains.

St John volunteers Albert Morrison, of Gosford, and Paul Cripps, of MacMasters Beach, were also marching, but were called to help Mr Stockton. They took him to a park bench and gave him oxygen treatment but he collapsed soon after. The pair then used a defibrillator to help revive him and saved his life. “I put the pads on his chest and there were no signs of life,” Mr Morrison said. “I was a bit nervous but we had a job to do. We had to
give him another chance.”

Recently, the pair went to say hello to Mr Stockton at Royal North Shore Private Hospital. “We were happy to see him alive and well,” Mr Cripps said. “He was joking and telling us some of his war stories.” “It made the experience so much better to be able to talk to a person whose life you’ve
been able to save.” Mr Stockton, who has a history of heart trouble, is recovering well and planned to return home to Melbourne. St John NSW chief executive Rhonda Bignell praised the pair for their skill and rapid response.

Sixty-eight-year-old Donald McQuinn was spending his Labor Day weekend at the Grand Wailea Resort, Hotel & Spa located in beautiful Maui, Hawaii, when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). McQuinn, the best-selling author of two science fiction novels, was presenting at the Maui Writers Conference held at the resort. Like many victims, McQuinn did not experience any symptoms prior to his SCA.

McQuinn was participating in a good-natured game of water volleyball at the resort swimming pool when he suddenly collapsed. After nearby resort guests pulled him from the pool, it became obvious that he wasn't breathing. A person in the group began CPR immediately while others ran to call the emergency services. Several minutes later, Officer Nelson Johnson of the Maui Police Department arrived carrying an automated external defibrillator (AED). Officer Johnson checked McQuinn for a pulse and could not find one. He quickly turned on the AED and, following the instructions of the voice and text prompts, delivered a shock by pressing the illuminated orange button. The resort's doctor arrived on the scene and informed Officer Johnson that McQuinn now had a pulse. McQuinn had been unconscious for a total of seven minutes and could have died if he had not received early defibrillation. Today, McQuinn is enjoying retirement with his wife and family in his home town of Seattle.

By administering prompt defibrillation with a Laerdal Heartstart Defibrillator, the swift actions of staff at a health centre in Houghton, Sunderland, have helped to save the life of an elderly man.

In January this year, John Hodgson, 74, felt unwell and was driven to the Hetton Health Centre by a quick-thinking neighbour, Elizabeth Unwin. While at the centre’s reception desk John collapsed with a sudden and serious heart attack. Immediately, local GP Dr. Martin Baldasera, helped by practice nurse Anne Turnbull and treatment room nurse Helen Ellis, started emergency resuscitation. While staff dialled 999, quick thinking receptionist Melanie McDaid fetched the centre’s Heartstart FR2 Defibrillator.

Within minutes, Melanie had applied the defibrillator pads to John’s chest and was successful in regaining a stable heart beat after following the defibrillator’s voice prompts. Once the ambulance arrived a few minutes later, John was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital for further treatment.
John, now fully recovered, has been back to the health centre to pass on his appreciation to the staff involved. He said: “I have been very lucky. There is no doubt that the fast actions of my neighbour Elizabeth, Dr Baldasera and his colleagues saved my life and words cannot express my gratitude to them. Everything happened very quickly and unfortunately I can’t remember much of what happened to me that day. However, what is clear that, although the care I received in hospital was superb, the specialists have told me how the immediate intervention was crucial to my survival. If it wasn’t for the actions of the health centre staff I wouldn’t be alive today.”

The Heartstart FR2 defibrillator used in the incident had only been installed in the centre one month earlier and for receptionist Melanie it was the chance to put her life saving skills training received only a matter of weeks previously into action.

The installation of the life saving machine in public places and basic life saving training is organised across the city by Heartstart Sunderland Lifesavers, part of Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust. Peter Lowes, Heartstart Training Co-ordinator, said: “This incident shows how a medical emergency can happen at any time and that fast response by trained staff is vital for the best chance of survival of the person at risk. The availability of defibrillation equipment in health centres and other public venues is vital and can invariably make the difference between life and death situations. Early defibrillation combined with early cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a cardiac arrest situation can increase a victims chances survival by up to 80%”

John, who retired from his job as a foreman with a local building company has now returned home from hospital and says he now feels fine. His daughter, Sheena Hodgson, has written to the medical practice thanking them for their actions. She said: “The team was absolutely exemplary in their determination and skills in reviving my father and our deepest thanks and immense gratitude goes out to them all. The NHS is often criticised, but in this case the commitment and training of the staff to take on the major responsibility of using this equipment is beyond praise ”
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) remains the leading cause of death in men over 45 and women over 65 in Great Britain and Ireland. Over 270,000 people in the UK suffer a heart attack each year – that’s one heart attack every two minutes. 30% of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before they even reach hospital.

Although Laerdal’s HeartStart defibrillator is a technically advanced piece of equipment, it is small, robust and surprising easy to use. Automated voice commands and comprehensive diagrams take the operator through each step of the way. Recent reports on community schemes and successful “save” stories confirm that the Laerdal HeartStart Defibrillators are the preferred defibrillator of many organisations in the UK. Independent scientific user trials show that the Laerdal HeartStart Defibrillator is the most simple to operate AED (automatic external defibrillator) on the market.

Tony Kemp, Product Development Manager at Laerdal Medical Ltd, commented, “An increasing amount of people in the workplace are learning life saving skills, so that in an emergency, even without the presence of a doctor or nurse, treatment such as prompt defibrillation can still be administered. Defibrillators like the HeartStart FR2 and First Aid Defibrillator are being installed in more and more public places as they are safe, reliable and very user friendly. We are receiving growing reports from all over the UK about trained first aiders in workplaces, health centres, shopping centres and recreation centres using these machines to save lives. This is very encouraging for the survival-to-hospital statistics of sudden cardiac arrest victims."