Local school teacher Greg Purcell and CFA Senior Station Officer Tony Smith have received certificates of commendation from Ambulance Victoria for performing CPR on a man who had gone into cardiac arrest.
Kevin Law was on his morning bike ride through a Sunbury park on 7 February when the incident occurred.
Local school teacher Greg Purcell was driving to work when he noticed a mountain bike leaning against a park bench and a man lying on the ground nearby.
“I saw Kevin’s bike and thought it was a bit weird that it was sitting by itself,” Mr Purcell said.
“I turned my car around and found Kevin lying unconscious on the ground, he was not in a good state.”
Mr Purcell sprang into action and immediately called triple zero and started CPR with the assistance of the operator.
CFA member Tony Smith, who was off duty at the time, was driving by when he spotted Greg performing CPR on the man.
“I was driving my daughter to school and noticed a gentleman doing CPR on another man. I stopped, came down and gave him a hand,” Mr Smith said.
The two men continued to assist once paramedics had arrived.
“The paramedics shocked him twice and after a period of time he started breathing again, which was a huge relief to us all.”
Mr Law has now recovered and said it was because of the first responders that he is still alive.
“If not for Greg and wonderful first responders like Tony and the Ambo’s that came along, I’d not be here today. I’d not have been able to ride up here this morning,” Mr Law said.
Mr Law said it’s an incredible gift and that life now seems far more precious.
“There’s no more waste of life. Life is too precious and the people around us are too beautiful.”
Mr Law was recently reunited with those that came to his aid and paramedics who responded to the incident congratulated everyone that was involved.
MICA Paramedic Michael Holmes said, “It can’t be stressed enough that bystander CPR is the one factor that saved his life.”
For more information on CPR awareness click here.
Author: CFA News