When off duty firefighter Lee Murray went for his regular morning swim at his local pool little did he know he would end up saving a life alongside doing his lengths.

Lee, a crew manager at Pembroke Dock Fire Station, was enjoying his regular morning swim at Pembroke Leisure Centre on Friday, February 3.

He noticed a commotion at the side of the swimming pool and got out the water to see what was happening.

On the side of the pool lifeguards were helping a man who had collapsed and gone into cardiac arrest.

Lee immediately took control of the situation and directed lifeguards to retrieve a defibrillator and to call for an ambulance.

In the meantime, Lee administered hands-only CPR to the casualty and once the defibrillator arrived, he attached administered a shock to the man. By the time the ambulance arrived, the patient had regained consciousness.

Western Telegraph: Lifesaver Lee Murray, centre, with colleagues Phil Barry and Kevin Hughes. Lifesaver Lee Murray, centre, with colleagues Phil Barry and Kevin Hughes. (Image: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service)

Following the incident, the man spent a week in hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery and he has expressed his deep gratitude to Lee for saving his life.

Pembroke Dock Station Manager, Kevin Hughes, said: “The way in which Lee was able to take control of the situation with confidence and help save this patient’s life is testament to the continual training he and the rest of the service’s crews receive, as well as the annual Fire Trauma assessments every operational member of staff attends.”

Pembroke Dock Station Watch Manager, Phil Barry, added: “I have no doubt that Lee’s actions and quick-thinking helped save the patient’s life.”

Coincidentally, this incident occurred during the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust’s annual month-long ‘Defibuary’ campaign, which is designed to raise public awareness of the importance of bystander CPR and defibrillation.

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According to the British Heart Foundation, only one in ten people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK, and it can happen to anyone, at any age, so knowing how to do CPR and how to use a defibrillator can improve the chance of survival.

The foundation’s Fiona Maclean said: “Immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chance of survival.

“You don’t need to be trained in CPR, as a 999-call handler will talk you through exactly what to do, but knowing how to perform CPR can help you remain calm in an emergency.”

 

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