Life-saving equipment in Leeds city centre

A new public access defibrillator has been installed in Call Lane, Leeds, following the successful resuscitation of a father-of-three.

Fifty-four-year-old David Bryant collapsed in cardiac arrest in Oporto in August last year and was saved by ambulance and bar staff.

Leeds Paramedic Richard Bentley, who was first on scene, was later approached by Oporto staff who asked about the possibility of having a defibrillator installed on the busy city centre street.

Business Against Crime in Leeds (BACIL) has kindly funded the life-saving kit which is located in a secure cabinet outside The Backroom so it can be accessed by members of the public in the event of someone suffering a cardiac arrest.

Richard said: “The staff at Oporto worked brilliantly with me when the patient suffered a cardiac arrest there last year, including helping with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so I could provide advanced skills to help improve his outcome. Following the incident, they were keen to have a defibrillator installed on Call Lane which has now happened thanks to a generous donation from BACIL. The life-saving equipment will help to improve the chances of survival for anyone who may suffer a cardiac arrest in the vicinity.”

The defibrillator is a portable device that can be used by a member of the public to help restart the heart when someone has a cardiac arrest. For every minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR, chances of survival decrease by around ten per cent.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service will be providing familiarisation training for Call Lane bar and door staff, as well as Street Angels and members of the neighbourhood police team, over the next few weeks.

Sean Walker, BACIL Manager, said: "We are delighted to fund the purchase of a defibrillator for Call Lane.  People's safety and welfare are of paramount importance to BACIL and having this life-saving piece of equipment, at the very heart of one of the busiest areas in Leeds, is a tremendous asset.  It means that, should the need arise, emergency treatment could be given immediately at the scene.  This will bring peace of mind to the staff who work in the dozens of bars around the Call Lane area and it may one day save someone's life.  I'd also like to thank the Yorkshire Ambulance Service for all the training and support they've given."

David, a primary school headteacher who lives in Enfield, was visiting family in Leeds when he suffered the ultimate medical emergency. After being successfully resuscitated, he was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where he had two stents fitted and has now made a full recovery.

He said: “I will be eternally grateful to the amazing Yorkshire Ambulance Service and wonderful staff at Oporto who saved my life in August 2017. The vast majority of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest outside of medical settings do not survive, but because of their swift and skilled intervention I was able to leave hospital in little over a week and return to work by November. Every single day I spend with my children, family and friends is a tribute to their efforts and I am delighted to learn that a defibrillator has been installed on Call Lane to give other people the second chance that I have had.”

Ross Millar, Manager at Oporto, said: “You never really think about these situations until they happen and we were very lucky to have a good level of first aid training throughout the team which helped us to respond quickly and help the ambulance service.

“I’m very proud of how everybody reacted that night and the new defibrillator on Call Lane will be of massive benefit should another of these situations arise.”