by Nick Rowe
While most people would ordinarily be outraged by a co-worker breaking two of their ribs, Yarragon CFA volunteer John Moyes is grateful to his friend and colleague Danny Mynard for doing exactly that - as it probably saved his life.
John was attending a suspicious fire adjacent to the Princes Hwy in Yarragon in March when he suffered a heart attack and collapsed while carrying a hose with fellow CFA volunteers Danny Mynard, Sally Neenan and Colin Proctor.
Last Monday John was reunited with his colleagues and the Ambulance Victoria paramedics who attended the scene and helped save his life.
Sally, Danny and Colin all remember carrying the firehose towards the fire with John when they noticed he had collapsed. Their quick thinking ultimately saved John's life.
As flames surrounded them they had to both attend to John while at the same time control of the fire.
Danny recalls them dragging the hose towards the fire and looking back to see John fall over. When they discovered him not breathing and with no pulse, Danny commenced CPR while Sally set up the automated external defibrillator (AED) which was attached to their truck.
Colin assisted them both while trying to keep the flames around them at bay. They were able to get a pulse momentarily before losing it again by which time Ambulance Victoria paramedics had arrived on the scene.
The paramedics were able to use their defibrillator and adrenalin and with continued CPR were able to get John's heart beating again before he was transferred to the Victoria Heart Hospital in Clayton.
John was placed in an induced coma. The initial prognosis was very serious and John's family and colleagues feared the worst for a time. Thankfully, he regained consciousness and was soon fitted with a pacemaker and has remained in good health ever since.
John has little recollection of what happened on the day. He remembers getting a call about a deliberately lit fire and attending the scene but after that his memory is blank. His only reminders of the ordeal are a blister on his leg from laying on a hot rock caused by the blaze and a couple of cracked ribs from the CPR.
"I've still got bloody sore ribs thanks to Danny," John said with a smile.
The two have always been colleagues and friends but the experience has brought them closer together. "We were friends beforehand but we definitely have a stronger bond now," John said. Danny said "I think it has probably brought us closer together. I am so glad to see him up and running."
Danny said the experience of performing CPR on a friend was strange but fortunately, his years of training in first aid had prepared him.
"It was hard when it is a mate of yours but it was incredibly lucky that we were there when it happened."
Doctors later said the quick work of Danny, Sally and Colin prevented John from losing oxygen to the brain. "He was in the right place at the right time - despite the fact it was in the middle of a fire," Danny said.
Sally said having refreshed her CPR training just months before, she was able to rely on her knowledge to help save John. "It was daunting but it really drives home the importance of having your first aid and CPR training even if you're just a member of the community, this could have happened anywhere."
Colin said having an AED was a huge help to their CPR efforts. "We were really glad to have the defibrillator right there on the truck."
John said he was "forever indebted" to those that intervened early and saved his life.
"They are the reason I am here," John said. "Because they knew what to do, I have another chance."
District nine Commander Greg Fisher said the incident was a good reminder about the importance of early intervention, having AEDs on trucks, and completing first aid training with CFA. "We offer basic first aid and CPR training to all CFA members and this really showed us why this training is so important," Greg said. "All CFA primary fire fighting appliances are also fitted with AEDs which is an amazing resource."
Ambulance Victoria Gippsland clinical support officer Dion Meade said John's recovery was testament to the quick actions of those around him.
"It's fantastic to see John alive and doing so well, which is all because of his peers who immediately started the chain of survival. We know the significant impact of early intervention, with a patient's chance of survival almost doubling when they receive CPR and a shock from an AED before paramedics arrive.
"The Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry 2023-24 showed Victoria has Australia's best cardiac survival rate and the third best in the world, which is because of people, like Sally, Colin and Danny, stepping in when they see someone in cardiac arrest," Dion said.
"Anyone can save a life by remembering to call triple zero, give CPR by pushing hard and fast on the middle of the chest, and use an AED if available."