What began as a diving holiday off the coast of Indonesia in June this year, quickly turned into a race against time when dive master Yvonne suffered a severe medical emergency. “It was one of those pitch perfect days, calm sea, very clean ocean, lots of fish, great crew and I went on a charter dive. I was on the second group and as I got on to the second dive boat I could actually hear the first group’s dive master scream and then there was just nothing, complete silent.” Explains Allan.

Far from shore near Nusa Lembongan, Yvonne developed symptoms of decompression sickness. Her condition rapidly deteriorated, leaving those around her deeply concerned.

For Allan, there was little time to think. “As I looked over at the other side of the boat, I could see the dive master, Yvonne, was lying on the side of the other boat unresponsive. I think it was that moment that I said I am going to have to step in, they will need some help.”

Drawing on the skills and confidence he had gained through a St John Ambulance Victoria first aid training just months earlier, Allan immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation and stepped forward to help. “At that point it was almost robotic; the training just kicked in, and I checked her vital signs for breathing and for a pulse, and there was none; there was no response”

Without hesitation, Allan began giving Yvonne some breaths and CPR. “I don’t remember the exact time, but just a short time later, with the compressions it was almost like Yvonne had an electric shock, or a defib because she just sparked alive.”

With no immediate access to advanced medical care and precious minutes ticking away, he remained focused on providing lifesaving treatment in extremely challenging circumstances. Surrounded only by fellow divers and miles from specialist assistance, Allan relied on his training to guide his actions.

His calm response proved critical.

After continuous CPR, Yvonne began to show signs of life.

But amid the uncertainty, one small moment would remain with Allan forever.

Wanting to know whether Yvonne could still hear him, he held her hand and asked her to squeeze if she understood.

Moments later, she squeezed back.

It was the first sign that she was still fighting.

That simple gesture provided hope to everyone onboard and reinforced the importance of continuing care until professional medical help could take over.

As the boat made its way back to shore, Allan and the team continued caring for her, placing her in the recovery position, and closely monitoring her condition throughout the journey back. In the meantime, Allan asked the captain to contact an ambulance and ensure they were waiting for Yvonne when they approached the shore.

“When we got back, there was no ambulance, but more like a tuk tuk, a UTE, waiting for us. We carried Yvonne from the boat to the back of the truck, and the driver took us on the back streets and drove us not to a hospital but a nearby pop-up clinic, which fortunately had enough air to put her back on 100% oxygen and then monitor her vital signs until she could be transported across to the mainland the next morning, to a hospital and could be put on a recompression chamber.” Allan continues.

Thanks to the quick actions of those around her, including Allan's decisive intervention, she went on to make a strong recovery. “I caught up with Yvonne a week later and she was in pretty good spirits, unable to dive but certainly well enough to be back on deck.”

Looking back, Allan's experience shows that emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time, and often when least expected.

Whether at work, at home, or on the other side of the world, having first aid knowledge can mean the difference between life and death.

Allan's willingness to act, combined with the skills he had recently refreshed through St John Ambulance Victoria, helped give Yvonne a second chance at life.

His story shows exactly why first aid training matters. It's not just about learning a skill. It's about having the confidence to step forward in someone's darkest moment and knowing what to do when every second counts.

Today, Yvonne is alive and well because someone was prepared to act. And for Allan, that preparation began with first aid training.

Congratulations to Allan Briggs, St John Ambulance Victoria's CPR First Aid Champion, for his extraordinary calmness, courage and commitment to helping others when it mattered most.

Watch Allan's video below: