On Thursday 1st June, the first day of Volunteers’ Week 2023, St John Ambulance Cymru’s Chief Volunteer Detective Constable Richard Paskell with the help of fellow volunteer James Jenkins, saved a life by delivering CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) at South Wales Police Premises in Pontprennau.
Richard was working at South Wales Police when Detective Constable Craig Jones collapsed after returning from a run. Craig was unconscious and was not breathing, so Richard was summoned to the scene immediately. He called for the nearest defibrillator to be brought along by a bystander and promptly attached the defibrillator, commencing CPR.
The defibrillator stated, ‘no shock advised’, so Richard continued with CPR whilst an ambulance was on its way.
It was then that James Jenkins arrived on the scene. James is also a St John Ambulance Cymru volunteer, but at the time was volunteering as a First Responder for the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust. After a couple of rounds of CPR, Craig began breathing again. Richard and James worked together to care for Craig until the ambulance arrived, regularly monitoring his oxygen levels.
Paramedics and an air ambulance arrived at the police station and Craig was conveyed under sedation to the University Hospital of Wales.
“It just goes to show that the basic skills taught by St John Ambulance Cymru are vital.” James said. “If Richard had not done the CPR before we arrived, then it might well have been a different outcome.”
James has been a member of St John Ambulance Cymru for 33 years, starting off as a Cadet. He has volunteered as Community First Responders for both St John Ambulance Cymru and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust over the years. “I have attended numerous incidents in that time and have gained valuable skills and experience” he says.
He thanked Richard Paskell for his vital intervention before the others arrived, as it played such a key role in saving Craig’s life.
Richard said: “As the Chief Volunteer for St John Ambulance Cymru, I feel so proud to have been in the right place at the right time and played a part in saving Craig’s life."
“We were so lucky to have a fellow volunteer who was able to join us at the scene. James lives locally and he arrived very quickly, whilst CPR was still ongoing.
“CPR is amongst the simplest and most important of all first aid skills, but in a cardiac arrest the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can boost the casualties' chance of survival much more than CPR alone.
“I cannot underestimate the importance of learning how to do CPR and use a defibrillator.”
Craig is recovering in hospital and is so thankful to the volunteers who saved his life. He commented,
“As a serving Officer I have on a number of occasions in my career had to perform CPR on people before volunteers and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust have arrived to take over."
“Never did I think that I would have CPR performed on me."
“I have known Richard all my policing career and I’ve worked with him at various times within various roles with the police service. To say I am thankful he was present is an understatement."
“I cannot say how important it is to get trained in CPR and the use of a defibrillator. I would also urge any businesses to train their staff and get a defibrillator on site, as there is no questioning that they save lives.”
Thanks to skills they learned at St John Ambulance Cymru, Richard and James were able to deliver lifesaving treatment. We wish Craig well in his recovery, and want to thank Richard and James for being such great examples of our brilliant volunteers making a difference in their communities. If you’d like to join our lifesaving volunteers and help to enhance the health and wellbeing of communities in Wales, please visit our website: www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/page/volunteer.
St John Ambulance Cymru’s Chief Volunteer, Richard Paskell
Gwirfoddolwyr cymunedol yn dod at ei gilydd i achub bywyd Swyddog Heddlu De Cymru
Ar ddydd Iau 1af Mehefin, sef diwrnod cyntaf Wythnos Gwirfoddolwyr 2023, achubodd Prif Dditectif Gwnstabl St John Ambulance Cymru Richard Paskell, gyda chymorth ei gyd-wirfoddolwr James Jenkins, fywyd drwy gyflwyno CPR (Dadebru Cardio Pwlmonaidd) yn Adeiladau Heddlu De Cymru ym Mhontprennau.
Roedd Richard i mewn yn Heddlu De Cymru pan gwympodd y Ditectif Gwnstabl Craig Jones ar ôl dychwelyd o rediad. Roedd Craig yn anymwybodol ac nid oedd yn anadlu. Gwysiwyd Richard i'r fan ar unwaith. Galwodd am i wyliwr ddod â'r diffibriliwr agosaf gyda nhw. Cysylltodd y diffibriliwr ar unwaith, gan ddechrau CPR.
Dywedodd y diffibriliwr, ‘dim sioc wedi’i gynghori’, felly parhaodd Richard â CPR tra roedd ambiwlans ar ei ffordd.
Dyna pryd y cyrhaeddodd James Jenkins yr olygfa. Mae James hefyd yn wirfoddolwr Ambiwlans Sant Ioan Cymru, ond ar y pryd roedd yn gwirfoddoli fel Ymatebwr Cyntaf i Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru. Ar ôl cwpl o rowndiau o CPR, dechreuodd Craig anadlu eto. Bu Richard a James yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd i ofalu am Craig nes i'r ambiwlans gyrraedd, gan fonitro ei lefelau ocsigen yn rheolaidd.
Cyrhaeddodd parafeddygon ac ambiwlans awyr orsaf yr heddlu a chludwyd Craig dan dawelydd i Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru.
“Mae’n mynd i ddangos bod y sgiliau sylfaenol a ddysgir gan St John Ambulance Cymru yn hanfodol.” meddai James. “Pe na bai Richard wedi gwneud y CPR cyn i ni gyrraedd, yna efallai’n wir y byddai wedi bod yn ganlyniad gwahanol.”
Mae James wedi bod yn aelod o St John Ambulance Cymru ers 33 mlynedd, gan ddechrau fel Cadet. Mae wedi gwirfoddoli fel Ymatebwyr Cyntaf Cymunedol i St John Ambulance Cymru ac Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru dros y blynyddoedd. “Rwyf wedi mynychu nifer o ddigwyddiadau yn y cyfnod hwnnw ac wedi ennill sgiliau a phrofiad gwerthfawr” meddai.
Diolchodd i Richard Paskell am ei ymyrraeth hanfodol cyn i’r lleill gyrraedd, gan iddo chwarae rhan mor allweddol yn achub bywyd Craig.
Dywedodd Richard: “Fel Prif Wirfoddolwr St John Ambulance Cymru, rwy’n teimlo mor falch o fod wedi bod yn y lle iawn ar yr amser iawn ac wedi chwarae rhan yn achub bywyd Craig."
“Roeddem mor ffodus i gael cyd-wirfoddolwr a oedd yn gallu ymuno â ni yn y lleoliad. Mae James yn byw yn lleol a chyrhaeddodd yn gyflym iawn, tra bod CPR yn parhau."
“Mae CPR ymhlith y sgiliau cymorth cyntaf symlaf a phwysicaf oll, ond mewn ataliad ar y galon gall defnyddio Diffibriliwr Allanol Awtomataidd (AED / diffibriliwr) roi hwb llawer mwy i siawns yr anafusion o oroesi na CPR yn unig."
“Ni allaf ddiystyru pwysigrwydd dysgu sut i wneud CPR a defnyddio diffibriliwr.”
Mae Craig yn gwella yn yr ysbyty ac mae mor ddiolchgar i'r gwirfoddolwyr a achubodd ei fywyd. Dywedodd “Fel Swyddog mewn swydd, rwyf wedi gorfod perfformio CPR ar bobl ar sawl achlysur yn fy ngyrfa cyn i wirfoddolwyr ac Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru gyrraedd i gymryd yr awenau.”
“Wnes i erioed feddwl y byddai CPR yn cael ei berfformio arnaf."
“Rwyf wedi adnabod Richard ar hyd fy ngyrfa blismona ac rwyf wedi gweithio gydag ef ar wahanol adegau o fewn rolau amrywiol gyda’r gwasanaeth heddlu. Mae dweud fy mod yn ddiolchgar ei fod yn bresennol yn danddatganiad."
“Ni allaf ddweud pa mor bwysig yw hi i gael hyfforddiant mewn CPR a defnyddio diffibriliwr. Byddwn hefyd yn annog unrhyw fusnesau i hyfforddi eu staff a chael diffibriliwr ar y safle, gan nad oes amheuaeth eu bod yn achub bywydau.”
Diolch i sgiliau a ddysgwyd ganddynt yn Ambiwlans Sant Ioan Cymru, llwyddodd Richard a James i ddarparu triniaeth achub bywyd. Dymunwn yn dda i Craig yn ei adferiad, ac rydym am ddiolch i Richard a James am fod yn enghreifftiau mor wych o’n gwirfoddolwyr gwych yn gwneud gwahaniaeth yn eu cymunedau.
Os hoffech ymuno â’n gwirfoddolwyr achub bywyd a helpu i wella iechyd a lles cymunedau yng Nghymru, ewch i’n gwefan: www.sjacymru.org.uk/cy/page/volunteer.
