Father's thanks to son and emergency workers after cardiac arrest
Tim Wood along with his wife Rachel and son Charlie, meet the team at NARS, the dispatch team, paramedics and fire crew who all helped save his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest at home. His son Charlie and wife Rachel were able to start CPR allowing the NARS team time to get to him and save his life alongside the paramedics. Byline: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Sonya Duncan
A man whose life was saved after his teenage son started performing CPR when he went into cardiac arrest has said he feels lucky to be alive.
Just 7pc to 10pc of people who go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive, but when Tim Wood's heart stopped his 15-year-old's actions, and the quick response of the emergency services, saved his life.
Tim Wood along with his wife Rachel and son Charlie, meet the team at NARS, the dispatch team, paramedics and fire crew who all helped save his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest at home. His son Charlie and wife Rachel were able to start CPR allowing the NARS team time to get to him and save his life alongside the paramedics. Byline: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Sonya Duncan
On Saturday, January 30 this year, Mr Wood, 55, from Mulbarton, was on the phone when he lost consciousness.
Charlie Wood, Mr Wood's son, heard a bang. He went to investigate what the noise was and found his father on the floor.
Charlie said at first he thought his father was having a seizure, but he came around and lost consciousness a second time so the teenager and his mother dialled 999.
Tim Wood along with his wife Rachel and son Charlie, meet the team at NARS, the dispatch team, paramedics and fire crew who all helped save his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest at home. His son Charlie and wife Rachel were able to start CPR allowing the NARS team time to get to him and save his life alongside the paramedics. Byline: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Sonya Duncan
While being asked lots of questions by the ambulance call handler, Charlie decided to start CPR, a skill he had learnt at primary school.
He said: "I had never done it before. I didn't want to damage him more than I needed to. While we were waiting for the emergency crew to turn up it felt like an hour, two hours but it was only seven minutes."
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Steve Maddams, a member of Norfolk Accident Rescue Service (NARS), arrived at the Wood family home within minutes and was able to start treating Mr Wood before the ambulance service arrived.
Paramedics then used an automated external defibrillator to shock Mr Wood's heart before taking him to hospital.
Tim Woods along with his wife Rachel and son Charlie, meet the team at NARS, the dispatch team, paramedics and fire crew who all helped save his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest at home. His son Charlie and wife Rachel were able to start CPR allowing the NARS team time to get to him and save his life alongside the paramedics. Byline: Sonya Duncan - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Now, several months on from the event, Mr Wood has visited the NARS headquarters in Dereham to meet and thank members of the charity, ambulance service and fire service who were instrumental in saving his life.
Mr Wood said when he learnt what his son had done he was incredibly proud.
He said: "No son should have to do that but he's such a cool character, really controlled under stressful environments, I don't think he's ever going to suffer heart problems."
Commenting on the work of the emergency services, Mr Wood said they were all "wonderful, amazing people".
He said: "I have never played the lottery but I did that day, I'm not really a money man, family is much more important."
