The family of a Community Security Trust (CST) volunteer whose life was saved by his peers when he went into cardiac arrest during a training session have said that they will be “forever indebted” to the organisation.
Black cab driver Alan Malina, 69, who lives with his wife Louise, 64, in Essex, has been volunteering for the CST for years despite several health problems. He was so determined to attend training, he didn’t heed the advice of his wife and daughter, who had told him that he needed to start taking better care of himself.
The father-of-two arrived at the site in Essex at 9.15am to begin the session and shortly afterwards, Louise received a call saying that she needed to come to the training centre straight away.
Louise didn’t think much of it as Alan is diabetic, and she presumed he had simply fainted and that the volunteers would lie him down and give him a sugary drink.
But Alan hadn’t fainted – he had suffered a cardiac arrest. “I saw the ambulances, the rabbi, our local rabbi and all the CST guys looking quite ashen standing in front of the building waiting for me,” said Louise.
She told the JC: “Alan had stopped breathing, and they had immediately stopped the class and performed CPR on him. One of them located the defibrillator, and they used it.”
According to the family, medics confirmed afterwards that the cardiac arrest had nothing to do with the training which had only begun minutes earlier.
“It was beyond fortunate that he was there at that time,” Louise continued. “Many of them were trained in first aid and many had even undergone recent CPR training. The chances that he was there... I’m not sure what the odds were of that... It was divine intervention.”
Despite significant health problems, including previous heart attacks and strokes, Alan is someone who finds it hard to rest, according to his daughter, Elise, 31, who rushed from her home in Hendon to Essex as soon as her mother called. A lot of his time is spent on gardening projects at home, and Elise said that had he suffered a cardiac arrest while working in the garden, it would have been “game over”, as her mother would not have been aware of it.
Elise said: “It was incredible that he was in the right place at the right time – a place where he could be saved – not only where there was a defibrillator but also a whole load of people who were trained to use it. Baruch Hashem.”
She said that she now sees the CST in a different light. “I used to think that they were just the guys walking around the shuls with their walkie talkies protecting us,” she said.
“This has taken me to a different place. They are so much more than just security.
“They literally saved my father’s life and we are forever indebted to them.”
Alan, despite still having ongoing health concerns, is now said to be doing “amazingly well”.
He has been discharged from St Barts Hospital, where he was being treated following his collapse.
As per medical orders, he is not allowed to drive for six months, and therefore has had to stop working as a taxi driver.
Louise concluded: “It is hard to put it into words how grateful we are to the CST for everything they have done for our family.”
A spokesperson from the CST said: “We’re incredibly grateful that our volunteer is recovering well.
“CST volunteers train for emergencies and the skills they learn apply in many different situations, beyond their formal security duties.
“We are thankful that the quick actions they took that day helped save a life and we wish our volunteer a speedy and full recovery.”
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