Before Christmas, our team at Lyme Regis Town Council took part in emergency first aid training — something we hope we never have to use, but are proud to have under our belts just in case.
This week, that training was put into action when a real-life emergency unfolded right here in town.
What started as a quiet lunch break for a few of our staff quickly turned into a situation where their calm thinking and first aid knowledge really made a difference.
While walking through Cobb Gate Car Park, one of our team was approached by a local lady, Anne, who had spotted a gentleman in distress near the top of the steps outside the old Boathouse building. Without hesitation, our staff member responded and quickly recognised the man was having a seizure. She immediately placed him into the recovery position to keep him safe whilst help was called.
Luckily, other members of our team weren’t far away and were able to come and assist. One of our staff contacted a local member of the fire service, who was first on scene while an ambulance was on its way. Meanwhile, our team stayed with the gentleman and comforted his family, who soon arrived at what was understandably a frightening moment for them all.
After the incident, we were touched to receive a message from the gentleman’s daughter, Beth, who kindly took the time to thank our staff for their quick thinking, care, and support during what she described as an incredibly difficult time. Here’s what she shared:
"To whomever this may concern, I wanted to reach out and sincerely thank your team for the assistance they provided me and my family today. My dad suffered a severe seizure on the beach at around 12.45pm today and various members of your team (of whom sadly I did not get the names) were on their lunch break and stopped to help comfort and assist us whilst my dad was treated. There were three ladies in particular who stayed and helped and comforted my family and did everything they could to help, and two gentlemen — one in particular who drove my mum to get her car and offered lots of assistance.
Without the swift and kind action of your team, the outcome could have been very different. They are an absolute credit to Lyme Regis and I just wanted to share my heartfelt thanks. Please pass on my thanks to the individuals, they will know who they are!"
We’re very proud of how our staff handled the situation — calmly, compassionately, and professionally. It’s a reminder of why we invest in training like this and how important it is to be ready to help when someone needs it most.
We’d like to thank Anne for flagging down our team so quickly and of course send our best wishes to Beth’s dad — we hope he’s feeling much better and wish him a full and speedy recovery.