Dramatic Beach CPR

A POLICE officer who saved the life of a drowning man, who needed CPR on a Southend beach, in the last week of July, has described the dramatic rescue.
PC Tom Windeatt had just returned to the police base opposite Jubilee Beach when a teenager ran in and said: “I need help, my mate’s drowning!”
PC Windeatt was in the middle of dealing with an arrest but immediately ran down to the water. He saw a body face down in the shallows surrounded by people trying to drag it out.
“I’ve gone in and pulled him up with the help of one of his friends and we’ve dragged him up further up the beach,” said PC Windeatt. “The tide was coming in, and we needed time.
“He was totally unresponsive. I thought he was dead. He’s not coming back. I was obviously really worried. We laid him out, and I did a primary survey of him and checked his breathing.
“He had his mates screaming around him, so I had to get them to leave him. It was under control but there was a lot of panic around us, so I had to get everyone to be quiet while I was working out whether he was breathing or not.
“I quickly realised that he wasn’t, so started CPR. I’d been doing it for around two minutes and then all of a sudden, he started to cough up water, we got a light pulse and then he started breathing.
“We put him in the recovery position and every breath more water was coming out, so we were very concerned for him.”
PC Windeatt’s colleagues grabbed a defibrillator and alerted other emergency services. They were quickly joined by paramedics and coastguards who got the man onto a board and into an ambulance.
He was taken to the intensive care unit at Southend Hospital, and the prospects of his survival were bleak enough for Met officers to rush the man’s mother straight to his bedside.
He spent two days in intensive care and after being released to a ward, PC Windeatt dropped in to check on him.
“The doctors said he’s going to make a full recovery, which was great to hear. I stayed for half an hour and had a chat with him and his mum.
“They were both so grateful and relieved. Mum thanked me so much and we talked about how I wasn’t even meant to be there at the beach at that time. It was amazing, pure chance.”
PC Windeatt has stayed in touch with the family since and although the young man is understandably still shaken by the incident, he continues to make good progress.
The officer, who worked on Southend seafront throughout the summer, said the incident highlighted the importance of taking water safety seriously.
“If you’re going to enter the water, and especially if you’re not a strong swimmer, tell someone you’re going in, don’t go out of your depth, and definitely don’t drink alcohol before you go in. If you get into difficulty, float to live. Tilt your head back, try to relax, and use your arms and legs to stay afloat.”
Southend District Commander, Chief Inspector Jane Childs, said PC Windeatt’s actions showed how committed officers are to keeping everyone in the city safe: “PC Windeatt’s actions were exceptional, and he showed extraordinary professionalism, courage and compassion in challenging circumstances.
“This incident is a reminder that policing is about far more than making arrests. Our officers will do everything they can to protect people and save lives when someone is in danger.
“Southend has enjoyed a safe summer despite the significant demands that come with policing such a busy destination. Our team have been out on the seafront throughout and do an outstanding job keeping people safe, and this rescue was a fantastic example of that dedication.”
Picture: PC Tom Windeatt.
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