In May, our quick-thinking staff and volunteers sprang into action to help save the life of Friend of the Trust and keen supporter of wildlife and nature, Joost Smeel after he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Bingley-born resident, Joost collapsed on Beck Lane whilst cycling near the historic locks on his local canal, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Our brave staff and volunteers were among the first on the scene, providing first aid and crowd control.
With emergency services on the way, volunteer lock keeper Richard Breese performed CPR, while owner of Five Rise Locks Café, Megan Darley, retrieved an automated external defibrillator (AED), using it to try and resuscitate Joost while they waited for the paramedics.
Richard, a trained first aider, takes up the story: "We'd just returned from helping a boat down the locks when two guys sprinted down to the café and asked if anyone knew CPR. I just dropped everything and rushed to help. It was the first time I’d done CPR for real; I went into auto-pilot mode, I just got on with it.”
Within minutes, Yorkshire Ambulance Service arrived, taking over from Richard, Megan and the rest. The paramedics managed to stabilise Joost, though he suffered a further two heart attacks en route to Bradford Royal Infirmary. From there, he was transferred to Leeds General – the region’s foremost cardiology centre.
As you’d expect, for Joost, it was a shocking, life-altering experience: “I've always been fit and healthy and never considered myself at risk of cardiac arrest,” he tells us. “I have no recollection of the incident, but when my heart stopped, I had limited time before that became permanent. The prompt action from bystanders is what saved me. Every one of us should be confident to perform CPR and use a defibrillator if required.”
The defibrillator that was used during the incident was installed at Five Rise Locks Café in 2019, thanks to your support and funding from Mark Province of West Yorkshire. Without it, and without the swift action of our colleagues, Joost may not have survived those first few critical moments.
"This could have had a very different outcome if it weren’t for the quick thinking of those involved,” says Sean McGinley, our regional director for Yorkshire & North East. “The courage, calmness under pressure and knowledge of life-saving techniques are likely to have made all the difference.”
“I’m just so glad I could help,” adds Megan, “it’s something I’ll never forget and shows how important it is to have access to this life-saving equipment.”
Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our canal network, going above and beyond to help us protect and maintain our waterways, ensuring they remain open, safe and accessible for all. On that day, their dedication, training and presence of mind may have been the difference between life and death.
“The incident highlights just how important our volunteers are,” says Sean, “not just in helping boats through the locks and preserving our magnificent canal network, but also acting as a point of contact for the local community and assisting with public safety along the nation's waterways.”
Thankfully, after having two stents fitted to his heart, Joost is in good health once more. “I don’t have the same stamina I had before, but other than that, I feel normal,” he says. “Now I’ve been introduced to the people who saved me, I have a second shot at life and a whole new group of friends!”
