A woman from Camberley has thanked Surrey ambulance crews for their life saving efforts after her partner collapsed at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.
Nigel Dunlop had finished work for the day, part of the landscaping company maintaining the grounds at RMA Sandhurst, when he suddenly collapsed, suffering a cardiac arrest.
Multiple crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), including a Critical Care Paramedic, were on the scene in minutes. Working quickly to restart Nigel’s heart, the team gave him six shocks with a defibrillator, before he was taken to hospital for further treatment.
“It is impossible to put into words the depth of our gratitude,” said Nigel’s partner, Jo Summer. “Your calm professionalism, your speed, your skill, and – above all – your humanity carried us through what could have been the darkest day of our lives.”
Nigel and Jo were reunited with some of the team who came to his aid on a recent visit to Farnborough ambulance station.
“We know that without your intervention, your expertise, and your unwavering dedication, this story could have ended very differently,” Jo told them.
“Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for the wonderful work that you do in saving people’s lives. Thank you for being there when it matters most.”
She said to see Nigel discharged from Frimley Hospital just a week after the incident felt like a gift the whole family would never take for granted.
Nigel thanked everyone who came together to help him that day.
“All of you for arriving so quickly and your medical skill, the person who made the 999 call, the people from the main building who started CPR – I’m grateful to everyone.”
Emma Jane Sparks was the Emergency Medical Advisor who answered the 999 call and guided staff from Robertson House at RMA Sandhurst through CPR.
“They were really good and responded so well,” she said. “They listened to the instructions, were very clear with their communication and kept checking depth and positioning for CPR. They worked as a great team, swapping in and out until the crews arrived.”
For every minute without intervention following a cardiac arrest, a person’s chance of survival reduces by 10 per cent, so the response by those nearby when Nigel collapsed meant they gave him the best possible chance of survival.
To learn how you can make a difference, visit SECAmb’s webpage for lifesaving skills and support at CPR – NHS South East Coast Ambulance Service.