Restaurant boss saves customer after heart attack

A restaurant manager has been praised after rescuing a customer that had suffered a heart attack and fallen unconscious.

Jordan Harries, of The Welsh House, was performing a routine toilet check when he noticed one of the cubicles were blocked.

He said he "wasn't that panicked" by the experience after working on the NHS frontline as a volunteer during the Covid pandemic.

Mr Harries said the customer had since been into the Carmarthen restaurant to thank staff, and companies nearby have also offered training for any future incidents.

Mr Harries said he "saw something under the door" which alerted him that the customer had an issue.

"I went into the cubicle next door and had a look over the top. I saw a lady was unconscious on the floor."

He immediately called an ambulance at which point the customer, who was initially unresponsive, started breathing again.

"I performed CPR and then the ambulance call holder asked me to get a defibrillator which we have on St Catherine's Walk."

A staff member ran out of the restaurant to get the machine, which can restore a heart's normal rhythm, before returning with an off-duty paramedic who was passing by at the time.

Mr Harries said his experience working on a hospital ward during Covid helped him.

He signed up to support the NHS at Withybush Hospital in Pembrokeshire.

"I had no experience in like care at all really but it was obviously a very tough time in general.

"But it was an amazing experience. I have so much respect for it and the people on that health board as well," he said.

"I knew how serious it was," Mr Harries added.

"You just jump into action really and do what you need to."

He also praised his colleagues saying he was "really proud of them".

"I had two younger girls here on shift with me and they were crucial speaking to the ambulance people, getting some details about the customer and stuff," he added.

The customer has since come in to "drop off a card and some presents off," said Mr Harries.

"Her friend actually left a review saying that we saved her life," he added.

He said it was a "great morale booster" for the team to know that she was OK.

It has also led to some changes at the restaurant to ensure they are prepared if something similar happens in the future.

"Training companies in the Carmarthen area reached out to offer free defibrillator and first aid training," he said.

"For me it's a great skill to have that experience so we've got some of that training coming up."

Typically, defibrillators can cost between £800 and £2,500 according to the St John's Ambulance website.

Many community groups have fundraised to place a defibrillator in their neighbourhood, in case of use by organisations or passers-by.

Funding can be available, depending on the circumstances, through organisations such as the National Lottery's Community fund or the Prince of Wales' Charitable Fund.

Last year, a rugby player called for all schools in Wales to have a defibrillator as is law in England.

There are currently 7,564 public access defibrillators registered with Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and the national defibrillator network.