Safety Bus team help save man’s life after cardiac arrest

Nation.Cymru staff

A police officer and volunteers helped save the life of a man who suffered a cardiac arrest in Cardiff city centre after emergency equipment from a safety bus was used at the scene.

The 36-year-old man was found collapsed and unresponsive on St Mary Street, near the Clayton Hotel, during the early hours of Saturday, May 30.

A South Wales Police officer began CPR while two police student volunteers retrieved and applied a defibrillator carried on the Cardiff Safety Bus, which happened to be nearby when a call for assistance came through.

The man regained consciousness before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

The Cardiff Safety Bus operates in the city centre on Wednesday nights during university term time and every Friday and Saturday night throughout the year.

Staffed by police officers and volunteers, the service is designed to support vulnerable people in Cardiff’s night-time economy and is available to anyone who needs assistance, not just students.

The bus carries essential medical equipment, including a defibrillator, and patrols busy nightlife areas as well as major events in the city.

South Wales Police said the service has helped thousands of people since its introduction.

More than 3,000 vulnerable people have been safeguarded by the Safety Bus team since September 2021, including 270 people so far this year.

The initiative provides support to people who may be intoxicated, vulnerable or at risk, helping them return home safely or directing them to appropriate services such as the Alcohol Treatment Centre.

Inspector Rya Cowan-Davies said the incident highlighted the value of the partnership approach used to keep Cardiff city centre safe.

“Cardiff has an excellent history of partnership working which helps ensure our night-time economy is safe as well as vibrant and welcoming,” she said.

“The Safety Bus is one example of the work being done to keep the city centre and surrounding area safe.

“The team are visible and victim-centred, and at the weekend, this approach helped save a man’s life.”

South Wales Police said the quick actions of the officer and volunteers, combined with the availability of the defibrillator, were crucial in helping the man before paramedics arrived.