Man collapses at Jurong Lake Gardens, two passers-by take turns to perform CPR

A man collapsed at Jurong Lake Gardens, and two women at the scene immediately stepped in to perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.

The incident happened on Friday (22 August) around 7.30pm along Yuan Ching Road at Jurong Lake Gardens.

A netizen shared on the social media platform Xiaohongshu that he was cycling when he saw the man suddenly collapse. A group of people rushed forward to help, with some performing CPR and others bringing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

In a video uploaded by the netizen, a young woman was seen carrying out CPR while another woman beside her counted the beats.

Other people who were at the scene also commented on the post, saying that three members of the public had taken turns to perform CPR on the man. The young woman in the video reportedly kept going for about three minutes. Many expressed their hope that the man was alright.

An ambulance later arrived. In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said one person was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), more than 2,300 Singaporeans suffer from cardiac arrest every year, yet only 3% survive. Every second counts, as the chances of survival drop by 7% to 10% with each passing minute. Bystander CPR has been shown to double survival rates, making it critical for members of the public to step in and help during emergencies.

That said, it is equally important to perform CPR correctly. Improper technique may cause serious harm or even be fatal.

Here are the correct steps when carrying out chest compressions:

1. Kneel with knees slightly apart.
2. Interlace fingers.
3. Place the heel of your hand on the lower half of the sternum (breastbone).
4. Position your shoulders directly over the casualty’s chest.
5. Straighten both elbows and lock them in position.
6. Use bodyweight to achieve a compression depth of 4 – 6cm and compress at a rate of 100 – 120 compressions per minute. The chest should fully recoil (comes up all the way) after each compression.