Sunday evening I was driving home through Norwich when I turned a corner and came across a woman furiously waving her arms in the air. She was stood over the body of a man lying in the middle of the road.

I stopped the car and rushed over. The women told me he had stumbled into the road and she had hit him with her car. The man had a large gash on his head and was covered in blood. Fortunately he was conscience so I asked him to keep hold of his head and not move in case he had any other injuries.

A few minutes passed and I was anxious for an ambulance to arrive. Then the situation became even more serious. The mans head rolled back, he closed his eyes and stopped breathing. After checking his breathing for about thirty seconds and not feeling anything I rolled him onto his back. My heart was racing as I checked his airway and called to the man to regain consciousness. Soon after he made a gurgling sound and tried to breathe. I rolled him back into the recovery position as he spat out mucus and saliva and started to breathe again. To my relief, a minute later, a paramedic arrived, swiftly followed by an ambulance. I stepped back and let them take over.

It was only a few months ago that I took a week long HSE First Aid at Work (FAW) course and passed. It’s the sort of thing you do because you are given the opportunity not necessarily because you think you may actually have to help someone. I’m glad that I remained calm though and instantly remembered what I should do in that situation.

I will never hear or see from that man again. I walked away with muddy knees and his blood on my hands, face and legs but ultimately a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence that if it happened again, which I hope it never does, I would have the courage and compassion to aid anyone if they needed my help.