It was in a very emotional atmosphere that a Civil Protection volunteer was honoured last Friday during a gathering of the Paris Fire Brigade (BSPP). Sébastien, aged 24, was commended for saving the life of a man in his forties who had suffered a heart attack, according to a report in its website, the National Federation of Fire Brigades of France (FNSPF).
Whilst he was on his way to work – a restaurant where he is the manager – he received an alert from the app Staying Alive which he had downloaded a few days earlier. He immediately accepted the call-out and went to the scene, at the Bercy coach station in Paris. It was his prompt response and the effectiveness of his CPR that brought the man back to life.
"In my view, this is an essential app for anyone trained in first aid. I’d downloaded Staying Alive "A few days ago, I realised this is a really reliable app. The five minutes I spent giving that person a heart massage increased their chances of survival by 50 per cent! That’s what solidarity is all about – citizens helping one another whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive." - he testified.