Wednesday, 22 December 2004
Two ambulance service trained First Responders have successfully resuscitated a female patient in Anglesey.
Jane and Anne Roberts (no relation) successfully defibrillated a 51-year-old woman at the Pentaran Stud Farm, Llanddona on Wednesday 15th December.
The two women, members of the First Responder scheme based at the stud farm, were on hand to treat the woman when she collapsed at roughly 7.40pm.
They went to work immediately, giving CPR and using a defibrillator before an ambulance arrived.
The woman was taken by ambulance to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor and is now stable and awaiting further treatment.
Anne Roberts, 42 from Llanddona said, “We have a get together every Wednesday evening for a group of ladies to sit down and talk about their horses. This lady, who we have known for years, was sitting down chatting when she collapsed. Luckily for her, myself and Jane had just qualified as First Responders and there was a qualified nurse in the group. Between us we were able to bring back a pulse using the defibrillator.”
Jane Roberts, also 42 of Llangaffo adds, “It was a case of being in the right place at the right time and circumstances being right. She had been with her horse and if she had of collapsed in the stable we would not have known she was there. For some reason she left her horse and came into the lecture room.“
Welsh Ambulance Services First Responder Officer Kevin Hands, who trained the Anglesey First Responders, said, “This case proves that every second really does count when you are trying to save someone's life and there is little doubt that Anne and Jane's actions saved this woman's life. They recognised the symptoms, began early CPR and used the defibrillator while the ambulance was on its way. This immediate response is vital when treating a patient with a cardiac arrest and shows just how beneficial First Responder Schemes are.”
Anne, a qualified riding instructor and part-time auxiliary coastguard, and Jane, a former police officer both had a common interest for becoming First Responders because both of their husbands suffer from heart conditions. Anne, who runs the Pentaran Stud with husband Mike, actually resuscitated Mike when he suffered a heart attack eight years ago thanks to previous first aid training.