It was a split-second decision but without any thought or preparation, an off-duty police officer jumped into action when she saw a body lying on the ground at Kirrawee.
Senior constable Anne Blomfield was driving on the Princes Highway on June 22. She stopped at a red light on the corner of Oak Road where she noticed Gavin Lawlor, who also happened to be an off-duty cop, lying on the footpath with his legs dangling on the busy road.
He had collapsed after an afternoon of power walking and went into cardiac arrest.
Without hesitation, senior constable Blomfield turned off into the nearby petrol station and rushed to his aid.
“There were two construction workers looking down, and it was then I saw a body lying on its back,” she said.
“I realised this person wasn’t in a good state and needed a bit of help. He wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse, which was hard to tell because of all the noise from the traffic. But he didn’t look well, his colouring was all off and he was deteriorating.”
She threw her handbag under his head and administered CPR.
“I’d done training before but never had to do an actual resus,” she said. “But something must have stuck.”
She continued CPR until paramedics arrived, who used a defibrillator to bring fellow senior constable Lawlor back to life.
He was rushed to Sutherland Hospital in a critical condition, but made a full recovery.
“I don’t remember much but it just came right out of the blue because I’m fit and healthy,” senior constable Lawlor, 57, said.
“A total stranger driving past, took control of the scene and she’s the reason I’m here talking about this. It was also very lucky that the ambulance was close by.
“I’m very grateful to be alive and thankful to Anne who got involved immediately. I live to fight another day.”
But a humble senior constable Blomfield said she was no hero.
“It was just the luck of the draw – it probably bought him a bit of time,” she said.
“It was an absolute fluke. I was just taking morning tea to my husband and by chance I happened to be there.
“I then found out from my work he was also a police officer. I’m glad he was a colleague. He was very thankful.”
