Lifesavers are honoured
TWO lifeguards who helped save the life of amateur footballer Stephen Thomas, above, who suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch, have collected a special award.
TWO lifeguards have been described as heroes after helping to save the life of an amateur footballer who suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch.
Jonathan Daniel and Colin Wallace, who work at Sobell Leisure Centre in Aberdare, came to the aid of Abercwmboi FC player Stephen Thomas who collapsed just minutes after scoring.
The pair, who were helped by four quickthinking members of the public, have been awarded Meritorious Lifeguard certificates from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) for their swift actions on Wednesday, September 7.
Swansea University student Jonathan, 21, was supervising a football match on the Ynys sports field when dad-of-two Stephen collapsed on another pitch.
It was initially thought he was having a seizure, but it soon became apparent that he was suffering a sudden cardiac arrest and was not breathing.
An off-duty casualty nurse who was on site watching her children play football cleared Stephen’s airway, while another man carried out chest compressions.
After checking the casualty, Jonathan ran to unlock a nearby gate and clear a path so the emergency vehicles could get through.
He also telephoned Colin Wallace, the 54-yearold duty officer at the centre, to advise him on the situation before returning to Stephen to help administer chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Colin arrived on the scene and immediately administered a shock with a defibrillator followed by another one soon after.
By the time the ambulance service arrived, 28-year-old Stephen had regained a pulse and was breathing again.
Colin said: “Following the call and detail from Jonathan, I picked up our automated external defibrillation (AED) device and started to run to the scene.
“A patrolling police vehicle saw me and took me the rest of the way. My training just took over and the skills and knowledge I’d learned guided me through.
“The CPR carried out by bystanders was vital, without them I’m sure the outcome would have been different.
“I’d also like to praise Jonathan for the speed in which he reacted and for making all the right decisions, from ensuring access for the emergency services to his assistance at the scene.”
Jonathan said it was the first time he had dealt with an emergency.
He said: “The training really does help prepare you for such an incident. It was the reason why I was able to remain calm and think clearly.”
The four members of the public who came to the footballer’s aid were Lee Winterburn, Samantha Avon, Toni Lee Phillips and Lee Williams.
The Welsh Ambulance Service took Stephen to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where they discovered a leak in one of the valves in his heart.
He underwent an operation to correct the problem on Friday, September 30.
Coun Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf council’s cabinet member for environment, leisure and culture, and Clare Dunn, customer engagement manager at RLSS, presented the pair with their awards.