Mrs John was at home with her only daughter Sarah when the little girl of four years old suddenly started gasping for breath. In the blink of an eye before the girl hit the floor Mrs John caught Sarah, quickly carried her and placed her on the blanket laid on the floor where Sarah had been playing earlier. She made sure that the scene was safe without any item that could be injurious and shouted ‘Sarah! Sarah!!’ while she tapped the unconscious girl’s foot, yet there was no response from Sarah so she quickly picked her phone, called her friend, Mrs Bello who stays in the 3 bedroom apartment beside her flat ‘Sarah is unconscious, please get me the first aid kit, AED (automated external defibrillator), and call Lagos state emergency management(LASEMA) with 112 then she checked to know if Sarah was still breathing or not.
Realising that Sarah was not breathing, she started CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on her beloved daughter using two fingers as she calmly but quickly press hard and deep enough (2cm) on Sarah’s chest while she counted 1-30 compressions. Mrs John was on the 10th compression when her friend rushed in with a first aid kit and an AED as the LASEMA phone responder just picked her call. She put the phone on speaker, gave the house address and Mrs John told the LASEMA phone responder Sarah’s present condition and what she has done so far. The LASEMA phone responder assured her that the paramedics are on their way and guided her to continue with the compressions, after two sets of 30 compressions, she gave 2 mouth breathes to her daughter while she watched Sarah’s heart rise and fall. She continued with the compression and the LASEMA phone responder said that the AED should be turned on and applied. Mrs Bello assisted in setting up and using the AED after the AED had discharged shock the paramedics arrived and took over from the two women.
Sarah was taken to the hospital and she was eventually resuscitated. The doctor informed Mrs John and Mrs Bello who were anxiously pacing tro and fro the hospital’s corridor that Sarah has been resuscitated and she is now conscious. The doctor commended Mrs John’s effort of effective first response to Sarah really helped in keeping Sarah till the paramedics arrived ‘Madam, you are a good mother, your first response skills actually saved your daughter’s life’. Mrs John looked at her friend and said ‘Thank God we did the First Responders Training when we heard about it’ as the two women held hands and walked with relief to Sarah’s room.
Health Emergency Initiative is totally committed to saving lives, hence we implored that everyone should be a skilled First Responder and you are always welcome to EMERGE with us through your donation or as a volunteer.
Lagos state emergency number: 112
Federal Emergency number: 767
FRSC Emergency Number: 122
