We were delighted to welcome Mick Harvey, his wife Jenny and their daughter, Gemma, to our North Harbour Resource Centre in Portsmouth on Wednesday, 22 April.
On the 30 December last year, Mick suffered a major heart attack at home in Gosport in the early afternoon and went into cardiac arrest. Daughter, Gemma, who had popped round after a phone call from Jenny when Mick began feeling unwell, called 999 and was talked through carrying out CPR on her Dad by emergency call taker, Karla, who was on shift at our Otterbourne integrated contact centre.
With Karla staying on the phone with Gemma, emergency despatcher, Georgia, and 999 team leader, Megan, ensured that the call received the highest priority response, and sent two ambulances and two rapid response vehicles to the family’s home. The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) was also despatched by the HEMS Desk in Otterbourne.
The first ambulance, crewed by associate ambulance practitioner, Gina and paramedic Kylie, arrived within two minutes, and were soon backed up by clinical team educator, Hollie, a second ambulance crew of technician, Neil, and emergency care assistant, Ian, along with team leader, John, arrived shortly afterwards, followed by the HIOWAA helicopter. Mick was very poorly and suffered five arrests in total as the SCAS and air ambulance team battled to save him.
After managing to achieve ROSC again and stabilise Mick, Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service helped the team bring him down from his flat on the second floor of their building as it didn’t have a lift. Gina and Kylie took Mick on blue lights to the Queen Alexandra Hospital, with the air ambulance team travelling in the ambulance too, whilst the family followed in other vehicles to be with Mick once the hospital took over his care.
Mick has gone on to make a good recovery and it was an emotional reunion at North Harbour for him, Jenny and Gemma as they were able to meet Gina, Kylie, Hollie, Karla and Georgia who represented the whole SCAS and HIOWAA responders.
Jenny said, “We can never repay you for what you did for us that day and we will never forget it, or you! The visit was full of hugs, lots of chat and laughing, a few tears and gratitude. Gratitude for the people in this world who do jobs like this and enjoy them – saving lives every day and giving families like ours the gift of life.”
Mick added, “It was so nice to meet the people who helped me so much – I had heard so much about them from Jenny and Gemma. It was nice to hear how well I looked compared to the last time Gina, Kylie and Hollie had seen me, so much so that they said they wouldn’t have recognised me as the very poorly man they were called to that day!”
It was a particularly emotional meeting for Gemma to be able to meet, Karla, the person she had spoken to on the phone, saying, “I was very humbled to meet Karla as she was the one who talked me through what to do to help save my Dad’s life. It was so important for us as a family to come and say thank you in person to these local heroes for the wonderful work they do.”
After 10 days in hospital, and having a stent fitted, Mick was allowed home to continue his recovery and rehabilitation which has, according to wife Jenny, been incredible to witness. He is now back to his usual self, walking up to four miles a day and in February this year, he and Jenny were able to celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary.
We wish them many, many more happy years together.