Event Heath Services volunteers save father-of-five at local fun run

• Father-of-five, Paul Jolly saved at local fun run after receiving CPR and two defibrillator shocks by local volunteers and paramedics.
• Only one in 10 survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), where the heart’s electrical pulse stops – often without warning.
• For every minute without CPR, the odds of survival diminish 10 per cent.

Runner Paul Jolly has been reunited with the St John WA Event Health Services (EHS) volunteer ambulance officers who helped save his life after collapsing from a sudden cardiac arrest at a local fun run in May.

With no warning signs, the fit father-of-five dropped unconscious metres from the finish line in Perth having almost completed 12 kilometres at his usual pace.

“I just remember it being really hard to run and then probably a kilometre later I just hit the deck,” Mr Jolly said.

The electrical pulse to Mr Jolly’s heart had failed and without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) his odds of survival diminished 10 per cent with every passing minute.

Thankfully an event volunteer doctor and bystanders went to his aid quickly followed by EHS volunteers, who went to work delivering CPR.

Within the first five minutes, Event Ambulance Officers (EAOs) Amy and Suchi delivered the first shock from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

EHS Paramedics Chris and David quickly followed up and delivered a shock from their Corpuls, and about 10 minutes after his collapse, Mr Jolly was awake and disorientated about having not finished the race.

“To be sitting there on the phone and hearing everything happening in real time.

“Hearing they were able to shock, they were able to get a second shock. And then to even be able to hear him over the phone saying ‘I’m, fine, I’m fine’, was quite amazing,” said Jaimee.

Reunited with EHS ambulance officers Jamiee, Suchi and Amy on Friday, Mr Jolly was in tears with gratitude.

“These two little girls wouldn’t have me unless you’d restarted my heart,” he said, gesturing to his six-month-old and seven-year-old daughters nestled on his lap.

“I’m eternally grateful to you – and to the three other people and bystanders and runners on the day – all who helped save me.”

Mr Jolly has joined the ranks of one in 10 survivors across Western Australia to survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), which gets reported on annually by SJWA in partnership with Curtin University’s Prehospital, Resuscitation and Emergency Care Research Unit (PRECRU).

Early intervention with CPR and shocks delivered from AEDs before ambulance crews arrive, in what is globally recognised as the ‘chain of survival’, have been proven to improve the likelihood of survival threefold.

“The teams on the scene and the bystanders involved are truly to be commended for saving this patient’s life,” EHS Support Services Manager Emma Kake said.

“When you consider only 1 in 10 survive sudden cardiac arrest, the difference between life and death was early intervention with CPR and shocks from defibrillators.

“It is a great representation of the importance of the chain of survival.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the team for its well-coordinated efforts and it’s the reason we attend events likes these, because sadly cardiac arrest can strike anyone down at any time and our people are best placed to respond.”

Volunteer for Event Health Services or become a Community First Responder via St John WA’s First Responder App.