Rescue with a City AED at the metro station
It was Whit Monday, and Adam Jesney, 54, had just returned to Amsterdam after
a weekend visit to family in the United Kingdom. After leaving the airport early in the evening,
he travelled to Zuid metro station in Amsterdam-Zuid and was
about to take the tram home when he began to feel dizzy.
“My heart was racing incredibly fast,” says Adam. “I remember thinking, ‘OK, the tram will have to
wait a moment… I’ll just sit down and catch my breath.’” At that moment, he collapsed.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Beau Schoots was on her way home after a rugby match when she saw a group of
people gathered around Adam. She approached, quickly realised how serious the situation was and
immediately took action. “I had first aid and CPR qualifications, and I wanted to help,” she says.
“Do not hesitate; act immediately – every second counts.
The AED tells you exactly what to do.”
One of the bystanders who responded after Adam collapsed happened to be a nurse and
knelt on one side of Adam. “I sat on his other side,” says Beau, “and just
after I sat down, we heard him making strange noises. We laid him on his back and
immediately started CPR. The nurse and I took turns while a
bystander called the emergency services.”
Fortunately, at office building entrances in Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, there are City
AEDs installed by the city. As the pair continued CPR with help from another bystander,
Beau spotted a City AED and asked someone in the crowd to
collect it. “Once the City AED was connected, we gave him one shock, and he came back.
Shortly afterwards, the fire brigade, police and ambulance arrived.”
Adam, who had no history of heart problems, says he is recovering from the
experience with a renewed appreciation for life. “The quick actions of Beau and the
other helpers saved my life; my family and I are eternally grateful to them.”
Adam and his wife Tracey later had the opportunity to meet Beau in person, a
special and emotional experience for all three. Adam’s advice is: “Take the training. Have
the courage to use an AED, and use it quickly. You really can make a difference and spare many
families a great deal of pain.”
Beau agrees: “Do not hesitate; act immediately – every second counts. The City AED tells you
exactly what to do. If you see someone who is unwell, do not simply walk past.
See whether you can help. You could be the person who makes that small but vital difference in someone’s life.”
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