A cadet instructor saved a life with first aid skills learned earlier the same day.
All Army Cadet Force (ACF) instructors, both cadet force adult volunteers and teenaged cadets taking on more responsibility, are required to pass First Aid at Work training.
Sgt Maj Instructor Conor McLennan took the course with Cambridgeshire ACF over the summer. After completing his training he popped into a restaurant for a bite to eat, only to notice a woman at another table struggling for breath.
SMI McLennan went to help and learned an older lady at the table had been choking. Ensuring the restaurant staff had called 999, SMI McLennan put the skills he had learned that day to work, encouraging his patient to sit forward and clearing dentures from her mouth to keep her airway as clear as possible.
These measured sadly weren’t enough and the woman passed out, but SMI McLennan stayed calm, assessing her condition and after spotting she was cardiac arrest beginning chest compressions.
Whilst he continued CPR, the cadet force instructor kept the restaurant worker on the phone to the emergency switchboard informed of the deteriorating situation and checked on the availability of a defibrillator.
With no defib immediately available, SMI McLennan kept his patient’s blood flowing until a paramedic arrived and set up the NHS defib while McLennan continued giving CPR. A police arriving on the scene took over the tiring process of chest compressions from the young man until an ambulance crew joined their colleague.
Still determined to help, SMI McLennan sat with the woman’s partner, now the only other person aside from emergency workers and staff in the restaurant. SMI McLennan explained what was happening and kept the casualty’s partner calm.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust paramedic who got to the scene first, Suzy Patience, said afterwards: “On my arrival I found Conor to be performing good, effective CPR on the patient.
“He appeared calm and competent at what he was doing, and I had confidence in asking him to continue and assist me so I was able to initiate cardiac arrest management and focus on clearing the airway.
“He was a great asset to myself at that time as allowed rapid treatment of the patient before further resources arrived.”
East Anglia RFCA sends congratulations to SMI McLennan for his life-saving presence of mind and our best wishes to everyone affected by the medical emergency.
