Lifeguard assists man after suspected heart attack

Lifeguard assists man after suspected heart attack

17 August 2022

AN off-duty RNLI lifeguard has helped save the life of a man who suffered a suspected heart attack.

Paddy Murphy came to the aid of the man shortly after he finished his monitoring duties at Murlough beach.

He was on his way home shortly after 6.30pm last Saturday when he came upon the man on the side of the road outside Newcastle.

A couple of members of the public had also stopped, and when Paddy arrived he introduced himself as a member of the RNLI and informed them that he had undergone training in dealing with a cardiac arrest.

Paddy (25), who has a foundation degree in Health and Social Care from Ulster University, has been taking regular training courses with the RNLI since he joined seven years ago, at the tender age of 17.

And luckily, his last refresher course took place less than two months ago, in June so he was bang up-to-date with the latest training.

Paddy said the man, who he described as middle-aged, was seated upright in his car and was conscious.

“I just wanted to make sure that everything that should be done in this type of situation was being done,” he said.

He made an initial assessment and then administered casualty care as per his training and maintained constant monitoring observations until the ambulance arrived.

“The training includes making sure the person is as comfortable as possible. Ideally, you would have someone in this situation placed in what’s known as a ‘W position’ but it was different in this case because he was sitting up in his car.

“It also includes getting them aspirin if possible and I was able to get some from a neighbouring house,” he continued.

“So I really just tried to give him reassurance that he wasn’t on his own and that the ambulance was on the way.”

Paddy said he believed it took approximately half an hour for the ambulance to arrive at the scene from Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

“He seemed to be on his own in the car but the members of the public who were first there may have cleared the car, but I’m not quite sure.”

Paddy, who has spent the last 18 months employed as part of Covid Track and Trace, intends to apply the same caring traits which led him to give aid to the stranger, to his next post which he hopes to be in the health and care sector.

Paddy’s post as a lifeguard follows years of competitive swimming, which began as a pupil at St Colman’s College in Newry.

Paddy was one of three off-duty RNLI lifeguards to give aid to people in Northern Ireland in recent days.

Regional Lifeguard Lead, Michael Thompson has paid tribute to Paddy and the other lifeguards, who he said “without doubt made a huge difference in all three incidents.

“Their selfless and courageous efforts, despite being off-duty, is testament to the dedication of our lifeguard team and it is very reassuring and pleasing to know that their knowledge, skills and training will immediately kick in, regardless of time or place when they see someone in difficulty.”