Clinician’s son helps woman in cardiac arrest using skills learned from his mum

The son of a London Ambulance Service clinician has used the life-saving skills his mother taught him just a few months earlier when a stranger collapsed on the train he was travelling on.

James Bird, 20, from Twickenham, was on holiday in Europe when someone sounded the emergency alarm.

As the train ground to a halt at the next station, James rushed to help the woman who had collapsed and was no longer breathing.

James recognised she was in cardiac arrest and immediately started chest compressions – also known as CPR – on the train platform until an ambulance arrived.

A cardiac arrest is a when a person’s heart stops pumping blood around the body and they need immediate help with a defibrillator and chest compressions to give them the best possible chance of survival.

James had recently learned CPR from his mum Claire Bird who is part of London Ambulance Service’s London Lifesavers team. He had joined a pop up training event the LAS team was giving.

James said: “It can be quite scary being involved in a big emergency like that. You have to remain calm and what you remember from the training kicks in.

“I was so focused on the patient and performing chest compressions that it took a few minutes for me to realise that the paramedics had even arrived.

“People can often stand around to watch and not act. I tell my friends if they come across a situation like that how important it is to step in and help.”

In September, now the new school term has begun, Claire and the team will be continuing the London Lifesaver Schools Programme which will provide CPR and defibrillator training free of charge to Year 8 students across the capital.

The London Lifesaver team will also be teaching these skills along the route of the London Life Hike, which takes place in Southwark Park London next month. The London Ambulance Charity’s flagship fundraising event will raise vital funds for life-saving defibrillators in the capital.

James added: “It’s so important that we create a city of Lifesavers and that’s why I would strongly encourage Londoners to come together for the London Life Hike and make a lasting impact on the health of our local communities. Young people should also consider volunteering for the ambulance service too.

“The training that my mum gave was really great and anyone can learn how to save a life. You just never know when you might need these skills.”

Claire Bird, a community resuscitation trainer at London Ambulance Service, said: “I’m an incredibly proud mum. I’m so happy that my training has given him confidence to try to save someone’s life. He gave her every chance of a positive outcome.

“He remained calm and got on with what needed to be done to keep the woman alive while the ambulance crews were on the way.”

Sam Palfreyman-Jones, Head of Community Resuscitation and Training at London Ambulance Service, said: “Claire has inspired the next generation of lifesavers and distilled an incredible sense of duty in James.

“It’s so vital that young people know these life-saving skills. 76 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home and learning these skills will mean that you’re ready to save someone you love.”

Find out about the London Ambulance Charity Heart Starters campaign to fund more defibrillators for the capital and sign up for the charity’s flagship fundraising event, the London Life Hike on Sunday 27 September.

Learn more about how your school can receive free training from the London Lifesavers Schools Programme.