Portrush RNLI volunteers and lifeguard supervisor assist man in difficulty

Following a routine training exercise on the all-weather and inshore lifeboats, volunteer Karl O’Neill, who is also an RNLI lifeguard supervisor, was enjoying a cup of coffee in Portrush with Second Coxswain Mark Mitchell and trainee mechanic Chris Dobbin, when at approximately 1pm the alarm was raised that a man was thought to be having a heart attack nearby.

The crew immediately went to the man’s assistance with Karl requesting that someone get his lifeguarding first responder bag from his car.

The three crew members using their RNLI training assessed the man and found that he was oxygen dependent but not having a heart attack.

With the casualty floating in and out of consciousness, the crew quickly administered casualty care using the oxygen cylinder from the first aid bag.

The man responded immediately to the oxygen before he was transferred as a precautionary measure into the care of an ambulance crew.

Speaking following the incident, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor Karl O’Neill said: ‘We were happy to assist the man and would like to wish him a full recovery. This was a perfect example of the benefit of having first aid training and in this instance, a good example of RNLI lifeboat crew and lifeguards working well together and putting our skills and training in place. I always carry my RNLI first responder bag with me and thankfully on Saturday it meant this gentleman got the oxygen he needed at the right time.’

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