By Alesha Capone
Tarneit man Nazree Nasir is being hailed for helping to save the life of his friend Shawal Baderi, who experienced a heart attack last month.
The two men, who are long-time friends and colleagues, met during their tertiary studies.
Mr Baderi said he suffered the heart attack on November 19, and passed out while getting into bed with his wife Nadia (NADIA).
In a panic, Nadia accidentally called the Singaporean emergency number and Mr Nasir, before dialling 000.
Mr Nasir said that after getting the call, he and his wife Dila – who live close to the Baderis – jumped in the car and “raced” over.
They arrived while Nadia was on the phone to the 000 operator. In tears, she passed the phone to Mr Nasir.
Mr Nasir said the female 000 operator asked him to describe Mr Baderi’s symptoms and diagnosed the heart attack.
“Then she said, ‘Listen to me and do exactly what I say’,” Mr Nasir said.
“She said I had to do CPR and if I did it too hard, I might break his ribs, and if I was too soft, it might not work.”
Mr Nasir said he performed CPR on Mr Baderi for around 15 minutes, before paramedics arrived on the scene.
Mr Nasir said he had completed a CPR course around three years ago, but that the 000 operator’s instructions were invaluable.
“The lady on the phone did a great job,” he said.
Mr Baderi said he came to as the paramedics arrived on the scene, and that he would like to thank Mr Nasir for giving him a “second chance” at life with Nadia and their children – sons Riah, 12, and Rizz, 8, and daughter Isabella, 4.
Since the heart attack, surgeons have installed a balloon and stents in Mr Baderi’s heart.
“I’d also like to thank the paramedics, Werribee Mercy and St Vincent’s, they all did a fantastic job,” he said.
A Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) spokesperson said its call-takers answered more than 7000 calls a day, with some of those calls requiring the call-taker to provide CPR instructions over the phone.
“Bystander CPR can help save lives and, in this case, Nazree helped save a life,” the ESTA spokesperson said.
“The ability to remain calm, clearly answer the call-taker’s questions and follow their instructions is critical to the outcome, so Nazree should be praised for his brave actions.”
