Chief Executive's commendation for good Samaritan
A BRAVE teenager who assisted at two medical emergencies in one day has been commended for his actions.
Owen Mansel, 19, from Carmarthenshire, was transporting a member of the public who had fallen to hospital when he came across a road traffic collision in Burry Port.
For his quick-thinking actions to help, he has since been presented with an award by the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Owen, an apprentice mechanic, said: “It was pure instinct that made me stop for the first patient.
“I was driving back from a friend’s house when I saw this person lying in the road and I immediately thought, this person isn’t visible and needs help.
“They were not moving, and I could see blood coming from their head, so I rang 999.
“After the call handler suggested the ambulance would take a while to arrive, I put them in the car and started driving them towards the nearest hospital, which was Prince Philip Hospital.”
About 100 yards down the road, Owen used his first aid training from a previous role as a lifeguard again.
He said: “As I was driving to the hospital, I was flagged down by another member of the public.
“I immediately got out again to find another casualty in the road.
“I rang 999 for the second time that day and checked the patient over.
“There was no rise and fall of the chest, so I started chest compressions while shouting answers to the call handler and sent the bystander that flagged me down to retrieve the nearest defibrillator.
“Performing CPR in real time wasn’t that different to training.
“There was just a switch in my head, along with adrenaline that made me disregard any unsightly things or thoughts in the pursuit of attempting to save a person’s life.”
Owen was joined by Paramedic Ross Griffin, who has more than 30 years of ambulance service.
Ross said: “Because of the nature of the incident and it occurring at night, as you can imagine, it was a very chaotic scene and difficult to manage, both from a clinical and bystander perspective.
“Amongst all this commotion was a young man doing very effective chest compressions with instructions via a mobile phone from a call handler.
“Being on my own, I needed further assistance to manage the patient, and the young man – who I later found out was Owen – stayed with me and did everything I asked of him until police officers arrived to take over.
“Afterwards, I tried to find Owen to thank him for his efforts, but he had left the scene and had gone home.”
The next day Ross was contacted by Chloe Lancey, a Paramedic from Gorseinon, who happened to be Owen’s cousin.
Ross said: “Chloe contacted me the following morning to tell me about Owen’s actions and explained that he’d actually been to two incidents within the same day.
“I put Owen forward for recognition as to me, this young man displayed incredible resilience and remarkable community spirit that I feel shouldn't go unrecognised.”
Last week, Owen was presented with a Chief Executive’s Commendation by the Trust’s Chief Executive Jason Killens KAM and the High Sheriff of West Glamorgan, Melanie James JP.
Jason said: “Owen showed a remarkable effort.
“To not only stop, but to support and stay while someone was in desperate need, is commendable, and to do this twice in one day is truly inspirational.
“Owen’s actions helped manage and assess the situation before further help arrived and ensured the best possible treatment was available.
“I extend my gratitude and thanks to Owen in what was clearly a very difficult and distressing job.”
Editor’s Notes
For more information, please email Communications Specialist Beth.Eales@wales.nhs.uk