Colchester: SOS bus saves a life (From Gazette)

Colchester: SOS bus saves a life

7:00am Tuesday 28th October 2008

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A COMMUNITY bus has already proved to be a lifesaver in its first Colchester outing.

The SOS Bus provides first aid and medical care late at night in the town centre, helping drunk or vulnerable people and easing pressure on the emergency services.

In its first outing, on Saturday night, Peter Carrington, crime safety co-ordinator for the Colchester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership said its volunteers saved a man’s life.

“We got a phone call from one of the clubs, saying there was a guy on the pavement outside who had collapsed,” he said.

“We sent the St John’s Ambulance to go and get him and our first impressions were that he was absolutely bladdered.

“He was so bad that we had to lie him on the floor in the recovery position."

Mr Carrington continued: “The volunteer did a blood test on the man and discovered his blood sugar was dangerously low – he was on the verge of a diabetic coma and could have died.

“They immediately gave him specialist treatment, including putting a very high sugar paste in his mouth, and within about two minutes he came round, sat up and was asking what had happened. It was miraculous."

The bus was based outside the British Heart Foundation shop, on the High Street, between 8pm and 4.15am on Saturday.

For more information, see the Gazette on Tuesday.

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