Two UK Power Networks engineers performed life-saving CPR on a retired doctor in Teddington, using first aid skills learnt at work.
Leon Smith and Marco Fenoaltea responded quickly when they heard shouting while working on a high voltage cable near Teddington Lock.
Trevor Hansel, a retired professor at Imperial College, credits their quick actions and UK Power Networks’ commitment to safety training for saving his life. He thanked them, as well as staff at Kingston and the Royal Brompton Hospital and London Ambulance Service paramedics for looking after him.
Trevor explained: “It was a beautiful day on 3 March, and after a short jog along the river path, I sat by the river at Teddington Lock to loosen a tight shoe lace. By chance, my wife Jill was returning from tennis and joined me for a chat. I wasn’t particularly tired and had no chest pain. As I leant towards my shoe, I suddenly lost consciousness and was then out cold for five minutes.”
Jill, a retired dentist, said: “I assumed he had fainted and placed him in the recovery position, shouting his name. Leon heard me, rushed over and told me he wasn’t breathing. We turned him on his back, Leon immediately started chest compressions and Marco fetched a defibrillator. After a few minutes of CPR, Trevor regained consciousness.
“It is amazing Leon and Marco were there that day, and they 100% saved Trevor’s life. I was very lucky it happened where it did.”
Nearly 5,000 employees hold first aid qualifications at UK Power Networks, including all operational employees working on the electricity network, and training is available to all employees.
Trevor said: “UK Power Networks can be proud of its policy of training its employees in CPR and is fortunate to have these two fantastic young men working for them. Anyone can have training, but having the initiative and confidence to help a member of the public is another matter. They deserve full recognition and rewards for what they have done!”
Leon, from Bracknell, Berkshire, said: “We were in the right place at the right time, being in the middle of high voltage cable works, and had just switched off the circuits ready to issue the safety documents. Marco heard shouting under the bridge.
“Trevor was on the floor, with his wife Jill. He was breathing at that point but making funny noises. I knew from my training we needed to do something if he stopped breathing. Then Trevor stopped breathing, and I knew he had gone. I turned him over and started compressions and Marco shared our location with 999 and rushed off to get the defibrillator.
“I was in the moment. I couldn’t tell you who was there, or what was going on. I concentrated on the task. I’m quite a calm person and I stayed calm. I knew I could do something and had a clear mind. I have had plenty of things happen to me in my working life, but that day tops them all.
“It’s an overwhelming feeling to help save someone’s life. I had an important job to do that evening and initially pushed what had happened to the back of my mind. It didn’t strike me until a couple of days later, and then it hit me a second time when we met Trevor and Jill.
“It was great to see Trevor and Jill again afterwards. His friends thanked us and called us heroes. Everyone has people in their life who love them and the small thing we did saved his life.
“I’ve always worked in the electricity industry, so I’ve had First Aid training since I was an apprentice cable jointer at 16. I’ve always enjoyed the training and would recommend it to anyone.”
London Ambulance Service paramedics took Trevor to Kingston Hospital for testing. He was later transferred to the Royal Brompton Hospital for a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and insertion of a stent, to restore normal blood flow to his heart.
A few weeks later, Trevor and Jill were reunited with Leon and Marco, for a meal in Teddington where they thanked the two men and their partners. Jill said: “Leon was very modest and embarrassed. It makes me want to cry thinking about what they did.”
Trevor also wants to thank Leon and Marco, stressing how their actions in carrying out CPR saved his life, and is also grateful for the care provided at Kingston and the Royal Brompton Hospitals following a full recovery.
Trevor wants readers to know how important it is to learn CPR and to be prepared to use it when required. He added: “In my particular case, this story has a happy ending, and I think it’s a story that could help save lives.”
Marco, from Addlestone, Surrey, said: “Leon’s instincts kicked in straight away and it was inspiring to see him working on somebody. The highlight was meeting Trevor afterwards and finding out about him and his friends. He hugged us both. Trevor is a lovely fellow and I’m so glad he’s all right. If our story educates people and makes people want to learn CPR, that’s great.”
It’s the second time this year that Marco has saved a stranger’s life – in January he removed food from a choking baby’s mouth on his way to his birthday celebration at Battersea Power Station.
Mark Faulkner, Consultant Paramedic and Associate Clinical Director at London Ambulance Service, said: “Without the help of Leon and Marco it is very likely that Trevor would not have survived. When someone has a cardiac arrest every second counts and it is the quick actions of bystanders before the arrival of an ambulance which make the difference to someone surviving or dying.
“Chest compressions and how to use a defibrillator are simple skills that anyone can learn. You can sign up to become a London Lifesaver or fundraise for our Heart Starters campaign to get more defibrillators into the neighborhoods that need them most.”
Lizzie Moscardini, Senior Programme Manager at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Thanks to the swift actions of the engineers, Trevor survived a cardiac arrest, but others aren’t so lucky. In the UK there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year. Tragically, less than one in 10 people survive. When someone has a cardiac arrest, CPR is critical in giving them the best chance of survival.
“A cardiac arrest can strike at any time, which is why we are delighted that UK Power Networks is committed to making sure all their engineers are CPR trained. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to ten per cent. To ensure it is as easy as possible to learn this lifesaving skill, we have developed RevivR, a free online CPR training tool. In just 15 minutes, anyone can learn how to give CPR – ensuring everyone is prepared for the day that they may need to save a life. Learn CPR in 15 minutes for free | RevivR – BHF [bhf.org.uk]”
