Llanelli Councillor Performs CPR to Save Man’s Life in Town Centre

An unconscious man found lying flat on his back in Llanelli town centre was saved by a campaigning councillor and a paramedic who performed life-saving CPR.

Councillor Springs Into Action

Defibrillator campaigner and town councillor Shaun Greaney used emergency skills he learned on a town council first aid course after spotting the man “laying perfectly still” in Stepney Street early last Thursday morning.

Fearing the man was dying, Cllr Greaney immediately called 999.

“I was told to shout to the man, then check his breathing, which was barely detectable,” he said.
“I tried to rouse him by shaking him briefly. There was no response, so I had to do CPR. I did chest compressions, as I was trained to do.”

He placed the call handler on speakerphone, who talked him through the resuscitation.

“There was no reaction from the man for ages,” said Cllr Greaney. “Despite my nerves, I remembered the importance of remaining calm in an emergency situation. The call handler was amazing, offering encouragement and counting for me to time every compression just right.”

First Responder Arrives “In the Nick of Time”

Just as Cllr Greaney feared the worst, a First Responder arrived with a defibrillator.

“I think he came in the nick of time,” said the councillor, who represents the Lliedi ward. “The ambulance service gets a lot of criticism, but they were absolutely first rate — swift and professional.”

The man regained consciousness moments later — but not before an unexpected challenge.

Confrontation With Drunken Bystanders

“The man came round just as the paramedic and I were threatened by a pair of drunks,” said Cllr Greaney.
“The paramedic explained we had feared for their friend’s life, as he had been lying on his back in the middle of the street. The man we helped save and the drunks then staggered off in the direction of Boots, despite our attempts to persuade him to go to hospital.”

Within minutes, an ambulance and police were waiting for them at the junction of Cowell Street and Stepney Street.

Call for More 24/7 Defibrillators

Cllr Greaney said the incident highlights how valuable — and stretched — emergency services are.

“It proves how important our emergency services are,” he said. “I’ve called for more defibrillators to be available 24/7 because they can’t be everywhere all the time. Our population is ageing and demand is rising.”

Ironically, Cllr Greaney said he was unable to reach the nearest public defibrillator quickly enough, despite several being nearby.

“There’s one inside Llanelli Job Centre, another at St Elli Shopping Centre, and one in Wetherspoons — but all are only available during the day,” he explained.

He said there are just three publicly accessible defibrillators available at night in the town centre — outside the Town Council offices at the Old Vicarage, near the bus station, and outside a solicitors in Murray Street.

“For Less Than £2,000, More Lives Could Be Saved”

“Personally, I want to see defibrillators on all government and council buildings in busy areas,” said Cllr Greaney. “For the sake of less than £2,000 each, more lives would be saved.

“The chap we treated was just lucky we were there. Anything could have happened.”