Eastbourne firefighter speaks out after suffering cardiac arrest in front of young daughter

Scott Saunders, a fire investigator at Eastbourne Fire Department, was exercising with his daughter Poppy near his home in Park Avenue in June last year when he suddenly collapsed to the floor.

The 50-year-old said, “I think my world fell apart, I didn’t know what was going on. I woke up and there was people around my hospital bed. The nurses, my dad, my sister, my partner were all standing there. It’s quite upsetting to talk about, thinking about it.”

The father-of-two said he remembers nothing of the incident but has been told that he ‘smashed’ his head on the ground and his daughter was trying to perform CPR in a bid to bring him back around.

He said, “I am incredibly lucky. Other people aren’t that lucky. The statistics for survival are so low. The NHS surgeons, doctors and nurses were the miracle. I have never seen dedication and commitment like it.

“A lot of people don’t get a second chance. The paramedic told me afterwards I was the third person he had seen survive a cardiac arrest.”

Fortunately, a driver passing by called Dan, who Scott regards as a ‘life saver’, saw the pair in distress and came to help, Dan rang 999 and was given CPR instructions over the telephone by NHS staff.

According to Scott, another neighbour then came running out to help who was trained in CPR and took over from Dan, while Poppy ran back home to alert her mum to what was happening.

The neighbour kept the CPR going until Scott was in the back of an ambulance, where he received defibrillator treatment, which made his heart beat again.

Scott was rushed to Eastbourne District General Hospital where he was given ‘amazing’ and life-saving treatment from doctors, nurses and surgeons while in intensive care and later on in rehab.

According to the British Heart Foundation, a cardiac arrest usually happens without warning. If someone is in cardiac arrest, they collapse suddenly and will be unconscious, unresponsive and won’t be breathing or breathing normally.

Scott said it was the ‘perfect storm’ as his daughter was on hand to help, and he highlighted how important it was for the people around him to act swiftly when he collapsed because, as he said, without their intervention he may not have survived.

In his recovery Scott was told he had an underlying heart condition which was more than likely hereditary. He uses his experience to stress the importance to people, especially those around his age, to go and get a check up.

Scott said, “I tell the firefighters at the station to go and get checked. People can go to their GP and get their cholestrol checked or ask for a well-being check and have a once over.

“Sorting out your own fitness, stamina and strength is a good way to improve survival rates. Knowing CPR can help people in the same situation.”

Scott underwent heart surgery in October 2019 and had a defibrillator fitted into his chest, meaning if his heart was to stop it would receive electrical shocks to get it beating again. He also had an aortic valve replacement.

Scott wanted to say thank you to the DGH staff for saving his life and caring for him during his hospital stay.

He said, “I have a huge amount of gratitude for the nurses and surgeons. It felt like they were my family. I think about them a lot, they are some of the most amazing people.”

Now back working after completing a week’s rehabilitation this year with the fire service, Scott said he is in shape and is feeling confident again.

He said, “Work has supported me, and I’m back attending fire calls. I have been welcomed back and I’m overwhelmed.”

Since then his photographer friend Sarah Carmody offered to take the family out for a photoshoot at Beachy Head and said it was ‘such an incredible thing to be able to do’ to capture the ‘special’ moment of the family all together.

According to the British Heart Foundation, to provide correct CPR there are five steps to take.

• Step 1: Shake and shout for help.

• Step 2: Call 999.

• Step 3: Do not put your face close to theirs. Use a towel or a piece of clothing and lay it over their mouth and nose.

• Step 4: Give chest compressions.

• Step 5: Continue until an ambulance arrives.

For more information, visit www.bhf.org.uk

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