Airfield team’s training saved a life when medical emergency struck
Date: 18 October 2023
Time: 09:00
In addition to saving lives at accidents and emergencies, EEAST helps to ensure everyone can save a life in those minutes and seconds while our crews are on their way.
Our training wing, TrainEEAST, delivers emergency pre-hospital care to over 5,200 people a year, training NHS units, military/blue-light partners and businesses such as Center Parcs. Over the years we have also delivered life-saving training to schools, hospitals, police firearms units and even fish and chip shops. 
One of our longest standing partnerships is with North Weald Airfield (part of Epping Forest District Council). We regularly train their Fire and Rescue team in First Response Emergency Care courses and regular first aid CPR courses. Earlier this year two of the airfield team we trained responded to a cardiac arrest and saved the patient’s life.
North Weald Airfield Accountable Manager, Darren Goodey said: “On May 19th Ken Waylett travelled from his home in Wales to the Airfield to attend a driver training day.
“After an enjoyable morning Ken, who is the chairman of the Lotus Drivers Club, was suddenly taken ill. “As part of the Airfield Fire & Rescue team Mike and I responded to the emergency call and on arrival found Ken in cardiac arrest. “They immediately removed him from his vehicle and proceeded to perform CPR. The defibrillator was attached, and a shock administered. Following further CPR it became apparent that Ken had started to breathe – we had got him back!
“The air ambulance doctor and critical care paramedic were on scene within 10 minutes and Ken was transferred into their care.
“Ken was stabilised on-scene then transported to hospital where after nine days and made a full recovery.”
Ken later returned to the airfield with his family to say thank you to the teams that had saved his life.
He said: “I think it is worth stressing that the time lapse from arrest to receiving assistance was only a couple of minutes.
“The close proximity of the Emergency Services, and the prompt action of the Driver Training Owner, Andy Walsh, resulted in an unbelievably short time passing before I received attention.
"Following discussion with other patients that have suffered a cardiac arrest I seem to be the only one that 'just bounced back to life' with no rehabilitation programme.
"When the rehabilitation nurse rang me to arrange my recovery plan nine days after the arrest she found that I was already significantly better than most patients after three months. I put this down to the really quick response from the Emergency response team.
"Words alone cannot thank these gents enough. Every day I now have is down to them. Thank you, Darren, Mike and of course your trainers!”
Left to right: Michael Witham, Fire & Rescue crew member; Darren Goodey, Accountable Manager & Fire & Rescue crew member
Ken Waylett; Cllr. Darshan Sunger, Chairman of Epping Forest District Council; Andrew Walsh, AW Driver Training
TrainEEAST and CFR Training Manager Mark Hayes said:
“This was such a proud moment for the TrainEEAST team. The Airfield crew remembered their training and did exactly what was needed to bring the patient back.
“Every year we train thousands of people in emergency pre-hospital care, and this is not the first time a patient’s life has been saved by someone we trained.”
To find out about life-saving training for businesses contact: traineeast@eastamb.nhs.uk
- Summary:
TrainEEAST helps ensure everyone can helps save a life while crews ambulance are on their way.