In Singapore, over 3,000 people experience cardiac arrest annually. As we commemorate World Restart a Heart Day on 16 October, we strive to amplify awareness of cardiac arrests while encouraging people to learn first aid. Equipped with essential lifesaving skills and confidence, individuals can make a critical difference in an emergency. 

We honour our Red Cross Youth Volunteer Instructor, Liew Tze Yeow, who applied his first aid training in a real-life emergency, giving someone a fighting chance to live, and bringing hope to his family. This story, which epitomises Tze Yeow's compassion, is a powerful reminder of the impact of first aid, and inspires others to learn these vital lifesaving skills. 

In Singapore, over 3,000 people experience cardiac arrest every year¹, with more than 80 percent in residential and public settings. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases have surged from 3,233 in 2019 to 3,432 in 2020, spawned by the burgeoning ageing population in Singapore².  

We share a real-life experience where a first aider helped an elderly man who sustained a cardiac arrest. 

Giving Someone the Fighting Chance to Survive in a Cardiac Arrest  

Liew Tze Yeow, then 21, worked on a project through the wee hours of the morning on 15 October 2023, and only turned in at 6 am. He was still sound asleep when a piercing alarm from the MyResponder app on his phone roused him at 10.50 am. The app notified him of a cardiac arrest case at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, two blocks away from his home. Without hesitation, he sprang into action, scrambling to retrieve the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from a nearby block. 

While waiting for the lift at the casualty's block, he met another MyResponder first aider. Together, they sprinted to the unit. Upon arriving at the scene at 10.55 am, he saw an elderly Chinese man in his 70s unconscious on the floor. Beside him was an elderly lady, visibly distressed and anxious. 

Tze Yeow and the other first aider assessed the casualty's pulse and ascertained that the casualty was not breathing. 

He comprehended the gravity of the situation. In cardiac arrest cases, the heart has ceased pumping blood to the brain and other vital organs. The brain cells may die within four minutes. A rush of adrenaline swept through Tze Yeow as he braced himself for the race against time to save the man. 

Working as a team, the other first aider administered four rounds of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on the casualty while Tze Yeow set up the AED. The AED then analysed the casualty and delivered an electric shock to the casualty's heart to restore its normal rhythm. As there was no pulse after he administered the shock through the AED, Tze Yeow switched roles and administered another 10 chest compressions. That tested Tze Yeow's proficiency in administering CPR.

It was a familiar scenario, as he had been accustomed to administering CPR since his Red Cross Youth (RCY) days.

"The situation was intuitive, similar to the many first aid scenarios I encountered as a Cadet. I also trained juniors for the annual first aid competition as a Volunteer Instructor," said Tze Yeow, a Volunteer Instructor with Red Cross Youth.

The ambulance and paramedics arrived approximately seven to 10 minutes following Tze Yeow's arrival at the unit. As Tze Yeow left the scene, the casualty's brother expressed his heartfelt gratitude for Tze Yeow's lifesaving efforts. 

Tze Yeow was heartened that he and the other first aider's swift response gave the casualty the possibility of survival and hope to the casualty's family. This underscored the critical impact of timely first aid. 

Recognised for His Lifesaving Efforts

In recognition of his courageous contributions, Tze Yeow received the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Community First Responder Award on 5 January 2024 for his courage and lifesaving deed.  He also received the Lifesaver Award at the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) Awards 2024 from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at HomeTeamNS Bedok on 2 September 2024. 

"I am honoured, humbled, and heartened by SCDF's and SRC's recognitions. But what truly mattered was I put my first aid skills to good use, to impact someone's life positively," said Tze Yeow, now aged 22.

"Learning first aid equips us with the skills and confidence to act when an emergency arises. It also enables us to fulfill a moral duty, and to protect our loved ones should a situation call for it. It strengthens our community by fostering a culture of care and responsibility, creating a safer and more compassionate community. While no one wishes to encounter such situations, learning first aid encourages vigilance as it prepares us for emergencies," he said. 

By equipping ourselves with first aid knowledge, we safeguard our loved ones and also contribute to a more resilient and compassionate society. This World Restart A Heart Day, you can consider enrolling in a first aid course. Your actions could save someone's life. 

1 & 2 - Statistics from the Singapore Heart Foundation

By Sondra Foo, Marketing & Communications