"I was back on my feet within a couple of weeks, thanks to the GWAAC team"
April 27, 2017
Idyllic holiday nearly ends in tragedy for family in Gloucestershire
December 18, 2017
For Trevor Hing it was just a normal trip to the shops, something he had done countless times before. However this day he ended up needing help when he suffered multiple cardiac arrests in the high street.
Trevor had been for lunch with a friend, and was just popping into town to run a few errands. He headed to the cash machine to get some money out and that is the last thing he remembers.
Trevor had collapsed in the street, having suffered a cardiac arrest. In total his heart stopped three times, and it was touch and go whether the father of three would survive.
In a lucky twist of fate a woman who had just been on a first aid course was passing by and saw Trevor collapse. She performed CPR on him, while another passerby fetched two doctors who lived nearby.
By this time Trevor’s condition was deteriorating, and it was crucial to get him help and fast. We were called from Bristol, arriving in 12 minutes with our critical care paramedic and doctor on-board. They managed to stabilise Trevor enough for him to be loaded into the helicopter and transported to hospital.
In Trevor’s case he was airlifted from Fairford to the Bristol Downs, and then transported to the Bristol Royal Infirmary by land ambulance. At the time of Trevor’s cardiac arrest we were using our old Bolkow helicopter, which couldn’t land on the raised helipad at the BRI. With our new helicopter we can fly patients straight to the hospital, significantly reducing journey time.
When Trevor arrived in hospital he was still critically ill, and doctors advised his family to prepare for the worse. However thanks to the expert care and fast response time Trevor pulled through, and made a full recovery. Trevor said:
“Everyone was in the right place at the right time, and I was very lucky. Thanks to the expert care I received my children still have a dad, and my grandchildren a Grandpa around too.”
If you or someone you know has been helped by the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity team, we’d love to invite you to meet the crew who help you. You can get in touch using our ‘Contact form.
Everyone was in the right place at the right time, and I was very lucky. Thanks to the expert care I received my children still have a dad, and my grandchildren a Grandpa around too.
