'I wouldn't be here without quick actions of paramedics'

A man who suffered a cardiac arrest at his home says he "wouldn't be here today without the quick actions" of those who played a part in saving his life.

Tony Drake, from Alton, was reunited with some of the members of the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) team who treated him to thank them personally.

Tony was sitting in his living room with his wife Elaine and daughter Hatty in December when he collapsed mid-sentence.

Two SCAS ambulance teams were soon at the scene and managed to restart his heart and get him fully conscious before he was blue-lighted to hospital.

When Tony collapsed, his daughter called 999 and began chest compressions with guidance from emergency call handler Kirsty Nolan.

While talking Hatty through CPR, she asked if a defibrillator was nearby.

Elaine remembered a neighbour had one and went to get it.

Although the neighbours were out, their 15-year-old son answered the door, retrieved the defibrillator and returned with Elaine, taking over CPR until emergency crews arrived.

The defibrillator was used to deliver four shocks to Tony.

The first responders on scene were a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service crew, followed closely by two SCAS ambulance crews and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance critical care car.

Reflecting on the events of the day, Hatty said Kirsty in the operations centre "kept me calm, talked me through exactly what I needed to do and did an amazing job".

"It was as if she was there by my side helping me, help Dad," she added.

Elaine added: "From the moment we dialled 999 through to [Tony's] treatment in hospital and being discharged home, everyone was absolutely brilliant. We can't thank them enough."

During their visit to SCAS's Alton Resource Centre, Tony met paramedics Sarah Weldon, and Isobelle Prince, as well as emergency dispatcher Imogen Cooper who had been in the emergency operations control room in Otterbourne.

Tony said: "I am truly grateful to everyone who played a part in saving my life.

"Without their quick actions and professionalism, I simply wouldn't be here today."

Tony has since been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and pacemaker.

He has gone on to make a full recovery and despite extensive hospital investigations, no medical cause was identified for his cardiac arrest.