A Richmond man is lucky to be alive after suffering a cardiac arrest while at work in early August.
Fifty-one-year-old Dave Owen was undertaking plumbing work at his long-time friend Tim Stewart’s home when he felt chest pain and knew something wasn’t right.
Tim started driving Dave to hospital but when the pain worsened, he pulled over and called Triple Zero (000), where paramedics rushed to the scene.
Paramedic Ellie Stewart (left) and Acting Senior Team Manager Jack Boessler (right)
with Dave Owen (centre).
“The first paramedic arrived and confirmed Dave was having a heart attack. Not long after that, he went into cardiac arrest,” Tim said.
“I started the first round of compressions and the paramedic got the defibrillator on Dave.”
Acting Senior Team Manager Jack Boessler, who was the first paramedic on scene, said Dave received 21 shocks from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to bring him back to life.
“We continued performing CPR while we transported Dave to hospital,” Jack said.
Every day, around 20 Victorians will suffer a cardiac arrest and only 1 in 10 survive.
Dave Owen (centre) with the first responders who helped save his life.
“Immediately starting CPR on Dave after he went into cardiac arrest absolutely played a massive role as to why he’s still here with us today,” Jack said.
Dave came in and out of consciousness during his cardiac arrest and remembers the first responders who came to his aid.
“I woke up a few times throughout it all and remember seeing the paramedics and firefighters there. I’m grateful for everything they did to help me,” Dave said.
Dave reunited recently with the Ambulance Victoria paramedics and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters who helped saved his life as part of Ambulance Victoria’s Shocktober campaign.
Now in its fourth year, Shocktober calls on Victorians to learn CPR, register as GoodSAM Responders and to know where their closest Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is located.
Shocktober is a month-long campaign to highlight the importance of learning CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
