One morning, BBC News presenter Rich Preston was at home when his phone cut through his “Do Not Disturb” setting and sounded a loud alarm. It was an emergency alert from the GoodSAM app, telling him that one of his neighbours was having a cardiac arrest.
GoodSAM is used by emergency services across the UK and around the world to help locate trained responders near medical emergencies in the hope of getting someone there faster than an ambulance can arrive.
He arrived at the same time as a paramedic from London Ambulance Service, and the two—soon after joined by an additional ambulance crew—worked tirelessly, performing chest compressions for 45 minutes to try to resuscitate the person.
Sadly, despite their best efforts, they could not be revived. Rich later shared the story of this event on social media, imploring his followers to learn the basics of CPR. He recalled how distressing it was for the person’s family, who arrived while Rich and the paramedics were battling to save their loved one, emphasising the emotional and physical toll such situations take.
Although the outcome wasn’t positive, Rich stressed that quick intervention, such as starting CPR and applying a defibrillator as early as possible, can significantly increase a person’s chances of survival.
Reflecting on his own journey, Rich shared that he had been taught CPR in school and had kept his training up to date ever since. He encouraged others to learn CPR through organisations like the Resuscitation Council UK, adding that it’s such a simple skill to learn which could save a life.
Ending on a hopeful note, Rich encouraged his followers to sign up to the GoodSAM app, saying: “Every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest and anyone can learn the skills to play their part in trying to save a life.
“Learning the skills and signing up for GoodSAM are such easy things to do. You may never have to use it - but you never know when it might be your friend, your family member, or your neighbour who needs your help.”
