Young first aider of the year 2007 - winners

Ryan Neal, Scotland - age 13 trained young lifesaver

While at home last June, Ryan’s step-mother Diane ran in to the room and asked if he could call an ambulance. A long-term sufferer of asthma, she was having difficulty breathing and needed urgent medical assistance.

She collapsed onto the sofa while the emergency call was being made, and Ryan comforted her as he relayed the situation to the operator.  Her condition deteriorated rapidly; she suffered a respiratory arrest and became unconscious.

Ryan re-assessed her condition and using his first aid knowledge, commenced rescue breaths until the emergency services could take over.

Unfortunately despite the assistance given by Ryan and the ambulance crew, Diane sadly didn’t survive the incident.

Lewis Dyson, Devon - age nine

Lewis was playing in the park with his sister. Teenagers were playing football nearby when suddenly a rottweiler appeared and got hit by their ball. The dog attacked the teenagers biting one on the arm causing a severe bleed. The teenagers jumped into the fenced off area to get away from the dog.

When the casualty began to feel faint Lewis advised him to elevate his arm and put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. He called an ambulance and waited until they arrived. Lewis remembered what he had been taught at a first aid class held in his school a few weeks earlier.

The ambulance service commended Lewis for his actions and invited him to Trust Headquarters in Exeter where he was shown around the control room and presented with a certificate.

Harley Dray, Norfolk - age 10

Harley saved his mother's life after finding her unconscious after being electrocuted. He put into action the first aid skills he had learned at a Crucial Crew event the week before.

His mother who had been watching the television started playing with the wires after the picture became fuzzy. After finding his mum unconscious and not able to wake her, Harley put her into the recovery position before calling for an ambulance. He sent his friend to wait for the ambulance while he stayed with his mum. Mum suffered slight concussion and confusion but has made a full recovery.

Aaron Wimsett, Kent - age 16

Aaron was at home when he answered the door to a lady asking for help. Her husband had collapsed at the wheel of his car. Asking his mother to call for an ambulance Aaron went to help. After carrying out a primary survey he found that the casualty had suffered a cardiac arrest. Placing a blanket on the ground Aaron, assisted by his uncle removed the casualty from the car. Checking the airway and finding the casualty not breathing Aaron commenced CPR until a First Response vehicle arrived and the paramedic took over the treatment and care of the casualty. Aaron gave the paramedic a history of the event and treatment. Despite the initial good prognosis the casualty died.

Esther Nowell, Lancashire - age 13

Esther, travelling with her parents spotted a coach overturned in a field. Arriving at the crash site she found there were no first aiders about and quickly took control of the situation.

The driver was lying inside the coach, the fuel tank leaking. She asked her parents to break the window in case they needed to move the driver urgently. After checking the casualty she found that he had a fractured leg which was bleeding heavily. Knowing that he should not be moved unless absolutely necessary Esther remained in the coach with him reassuring and keeping him conscious until the emergency services arrived on the scene. Esther was highly praised for her actions by the attending emergency services.

Liam Jackson, South West Yorkshire - age 16

Alix Lovell, Cambridgeshire - age 16

Alix attended a young man who had been attacked in the street. Although there was the danger that the gang who had attacked the young man could return Alix stopped to offer help when others had passed on by.

The casualty had suffered a large wound to the side of the head which was bleeding badly and was using a jumper to apply pressure to the wound. After talking to the casualty Alix found that he had suffered no further injuries and checked the wound for embedded objects, finding none and having no clean dressings Alix re applied pressure to the wound with the same jumper.

Satisfying herself that the casualty was stable Alix confirmed that a bystander had called an ambulance. She allowed the casualty's friend to use her mobile to contact his family. When the police and ambulance arrived Alex gave them the history of the incident as told to her by the casualty. The casualty spent several hours in hospital being treated.

Amy Neale, Cambridgeshire - age 16

Amy was travelling with her mother in rush hour traffic when she came across a road traffic accident. The weather conditions were very bad, it was dark, foggy and raining. It initially appeared that a moped and car were involved.

The couple in the car were uninjured but in shock, they had not been involved but had witnessed the accident and stopped to help.

The pillion passenger, a young girl was in the car. Amy checked her over and asked her mother to look at the other casualty, a young man who was having trouble trying to stand. The young girl was suffering from slight concussion and confusion and had a cut on her hand.

Leaving her in the care of the couple Amy went to help her mother with the other casualty. He had a head wound and an injury to his knee, Amy suspected a possible fracture. He was also under the influence of alcohol, uncoordinated and unable to follow instructions. He was acting irrationally and continually losing consciousness. Amy's mother had already called the emergency services and was directing traffic away from the accident whilst keeping a check on the injured girl.

Luckily another motorist stopped who was first aid trained and helped Amy with the injured man. Throughout the incident Amy remained calm despite the ever present danger of oncoming traffic.

Charlotte Parrott, Surrey, Cadet - age 15

Charlotte attended a fellow pupil who had been badly beaten. He was surrounded by a crowd of pupils still shouting. She made her way through the crowd telling them to be quiet. Ignoring the crowd Charlotte made the casualty comfortable using blazers obtained from those around her.

Charlotte talked and reassured him finding out where he was injured. A teacher called an ambulance while a parent directed traffic Charlotte stayed with the casualty until the ambulance arrived approximately 40 minutes later relaying to the paramedics the details of the incident and the injuries.

Thomas Craddock, West Midlands - age 14
Jade Perry, West Midlands - age 14
Gary Thomas, West Midlands - age 18

Thomas, Jade and Gary were returning home after a parade when they were approached by a distraught member of the public asking if they had any first aid knowledge. An argument had taken place resulting in a member of the public sustaining life threatening stab wounds to the neck and hip.

Thomas applied pressure to the injuries on the neck while Gary attended the wound on the hip. Jade went to a nearby sandwich shop for a first aid kit. Unfortunately there was not one on site so she took clean tissues and disposable gloves. On returning to the scene Thomas and Gary were continuing to apply pressure to the wounds in the neck one of which was life threatening and the bleeding from the hip. Jade reassured the casualty whilst handing out tissues to stem the flow of blood. The police arrived and allowed them to carry on treating the casualty.

The ambulance crew on arrival were so impressed with what they were doing, told them to continue with the treatment as to stop at that point would have been life threatening. The emergency services were left in no doubt that these three cadets saved the man's life.

Robyn Tipple, South West Yorkshire - age 15

Following a visit to their Dutch Barge which was in dry dock Robyn and her mother were leaving for home when the accident happened.

Robyn descended the staircase safely but when her mother attempted this, the ladder slipped and she plunged 10 feet on to the concrete below. Although there were people about Robyn took control of the situation.

Stabilising her mother's neck and spine she gave instructions to call an ambulance and contact her father. Robyn applied pressure to the wound on her head and carried out a secondary survey to see if there were any other injuries.

There was tenderness to the chest and abdomen and a possible fractured arm. At this point the ambulance had still not arrived and her mother was going into shock, Robyn covered her with blankets and rang the emergency services for the second time.

Unfortunately when the ambulance arrived and despite the casualty's injuries they said the best way to get her to the ambulance was to pull her up by the jumper and walk her to the ambulance and this is what they did. The casualty was found to have many injuries including ruptured spleen, kidney, bladder and collapsed lung. Thankfully with Robyn's care and attention her mother is making progress.

Olivia Martin, Merseyside - age four

Olivia rang the emergency services when her mother collapsed after suffering an epileptic seizure.

Olivia had been taught about her mother's seizures and always telephoned her grandparents when her mother had one. On this occasion the seizure was different and Olivia rang the emergency services and calmly told them what had happened, describing her mum's symptoms and remembering to give her home address. Then she went on to ring her grandad to tell him and ask him to come round. The ambulance service praised Olivia for remaining calm and saving her mother from serious harm.