ALEX BLOOM
THE EAGLE-TRIBUNE, NORTH ANDOVER, MASS.
Dan Grecoe celebrated his 43rd birthday last week, and he credits three alert bystanders and a defibrillator with helping him reach the date.
Oct. 25--ANDOVER -- Dan Grecoe celebrated his 43rd birthday last week, and he credits three alert bystanders and a defibrillator with helping him reach the date.
Grecoe, an Andover resident who lives with his wife Lisa and three daughters, went into sudden cardiac arrest on the morning of Sept. 19 while exercising at the Andover/North Andover YMCA.
For about 10 minutes, retired Andover firefighter Richard Hartman and school nurse Rita Casper worked together to perform CPR on Grecoe while YMCA employee Maura Eisenhood used an automatic external defibrillator to help him survive while the paramedics were en route.
"Without Maura and Rita and Richard and this device, I wouldn't be here with my daughters to celebrate," Grecoe said, referring to the automatic external defibrillator.
Grecoe was working out at the gym with his friend Paul Davies early on the morning of Sept. 19. He had recently recovered from knee surgery -- having his anterior cruciate ligament replaced following a skiing injury -- and was given the OK to start running.
He started with the treadmill, running for about six or seven minutes, and said he felt totally winded.
"I chalked that up for not being able to run because of the knee," Grecoe said.
Grecoe and Davies then switched to the elliptical machines. After about five minutes on the machine, Grecoe started to feel faint.
"I said to (Davies), 'I'm feeling a little dizzy,' and that was it," Grecoe said. "The lights went out."
Eisenhood, assistant to the sports director at the YMCA and a North Andover resident, said she noticed Grecoe at the gym that morning because he had been using a machine normally taken by another gym regular.
Eisenhood had been wiping down machines when she noticed commotion in his direction. She said when she walked over that she noticed Grecoe was clenching his hands.
"We realized that he was kind of struggling to breathe," Eisenhood said. "As he was on his side, Rita had come over and said, 'I'm a registered nurse, I can help.'"
The two sent some other people in the gym to call 911. Hartman, the former deputy chief for the Andover Fire Department, stepped forward to help as well.
Casper, the director of nurses for Andover Public Schools, gave chest compressions while Hartman applied rescue breaths. Eisenhood opened up the defibrillator.
"It tells you what to do," Eisenhood said. "We followed the directions."
Eisenhood, 43, has worked at the YMCA branch for six years and has been certified in first aid since high school. She had CPR re-certification at the start of the summer.
"I think I was at ease because I had been trained," Eisenhood said. "I literally had my hands on the same device months before."
She applied electric shocks to Grecoe three times while the group worked to keep him alive. Rescue crews arrived and took Grecoe to Lawrence General Hospital, where he has his first memories waking up.
"There's really no words that can express the gratitude that I have to everyone who came to my aid, from the people at my gym to everybody in Ambulance 1 who responded," Grecoe said.
Now recovering, Grecoe, a software engineer, has been cleared by his doctors to start walking. He said he hopes to run a 5K race in the future.
Eisenhood said she felt like circumstances aligned for the three to come to Grecoe's rescue -- saving him from a life-threatening situation.
"It just seemed like everything was lined up," Eisenhood said. "You were at the gym at the right time, Rita was right there, Richard was right there."
Copyright 2011 - The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
When you see a cardiac arrest, your brain fights you - "No, this isn't really happening" - and the circumstances fight you - "Dang! in CPR class the manikin didn't weigh very much and wasn't sitting in a deep chair. This blog deals with practical details and presents reports of "saves." Let me have your questions and comments - they will steer the course of this blog. This blog is brought to you by the volunteers at www.slicc.org
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Seizure patient dies of cardiac arrest.
By Lauren Zimmerman - Web Producer
Monday, October 24, 2011 - 4:37pm
El Paso Channel 9 NEWS
FABENS- A Fabens High School student died this morning after suffering a seizure while at school.
Violeta Loya was rushed to Del Sol Medical center after she suffered a seizure shortly before class. The principal of Fabens High School says CPR was performed on Loya before the ambulance arrived, however she died shortly after 9:00 a.m. this morning.
According to the principal, Loya was epileptic and had three seizures prior to today, including one three weeks ago at the school's homecoming.
What's a seizure story doing in a cardiac arrest blog?
While some seizures do not interfere with breathing, others do. When a seizure does interfere with breathing, the victim can go for a prolonged period without breathing and may suffer a sudden cardiac arrest. This is also how it is that choking can lead to a sudden cardiac arrest. If you see someone seizing and who is not breathing, you need to act. You need to call 911, and if you have the training and equipment, you need to ventilate the victim. And you have to be prepared to perform CPR and defibrillate, if the victim goes into cardiac arrest. It sounds as if the school was on the ball wrt the CPR, but the story is silent regarding defibrillator usage.
El Paso Channel 9 NEWS
FABENS- A Fabens High School student died this morning after suffering a seizure while at school.
Violeta Loya was rushed to Del Sol Medical center after she suffered a seizure shortly before class. The principal of Fabens High School says CPR was performed on Loya before the ambulance arrived, however she died shortly after 9:00 a.m. this morning.
According to the principal, Loya was epileptic and had three seizures prior to today, including one three weeks ago at the school's homecoming.
What's a seizure story doing in a cardiac arrest blog?
While some seizures do not interfere with breathing, others do. When a seizure does interfere with breathing, the victim can go for a prolonged period without breathing and may suffer a sudden cardiac arrest. This is also how it is that choking can lead to a sudden cardiac arrest. If you see someone seizing and who is not breathing, you need to act. You need to call 911, and if you have the training and equipment, you need to ventilate the victim. And you have to be prepared to perform CPR and defibrillate, if the victim goes into cardiac arrest. It sounds as if the school was on the ball wrt the CPR, but the story is silent regarding defibrillator usage.
Monday, October 24, 2011
EMT student assists on life-saving emergency call
[from the Franklin News-Post]
Monday, October 24, 2011
By MORRIS STEPHENSON - Staff Writer
A Franklin County High School Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) student recently had a life-changing experience when she played a role in saving the life of a heart-attack victim.
Brittany Cook, 16, was at the Franklin County Department of Public Safety office in a study session with instructor Eric Newman when he received a "patient down" call.
Cook went with Newman to the scene of the emergency, where Dr. Charles Lane, medical director; Sherry Lane, a registered nurse and EMT; Tom Firebaugh, an EMT; and Ron Gearheart, Michael Pruitt and John Scott, paramedics, were performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the patient.
Several minutes into the resuscitation attempt, the patient regained a pulse and started breathing on his own, according to Newman. The patient was then transported to the hospital for treatment and later released, Newman said.
"It was a very rewarding experience for all of the EMS providers," Newman said. "Brittany responded to the incident like the young professional that she is. She performed CPR like a seasoned professional. With the others providing intravenous (IV) fluids, medications and defibrillation, Brittany rotated with other members of the team providing high quality CPR for the patient," he added. "For a student's first call to result in an actual life saved is very rewarding."
Monday, October 24, 2011
By MORRIS STEPHENSON - Staff Writer
A Franklin County High School Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) student recently had a life-changing experience when she played a role in saving the life of a heart-attack victim.
Brittany Cook, 16, was at the Franklin County Department of Public Safety office in a study session with instructor Eric Newman when he received a "patient down" call.
Cook went with Newman to the scene of the emergency, where Dr. Charles Lane, medical director; Sherry Lane, a registered nurse and EMT; Tom Firebaugh, an EMT; and Ron Gearheart, Michael Pruitt and John Scott, paramedics, were performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the patient.
Several minutes into the resuscitation attempt, the patient regained a pulse and started breathing on his own, according to Newman. The patient was then transported to the hospital for treatment and later released, Newman said.
"It was a very rewarding experience for all of the EMS providers," Newman said. "Brittany responded to the incident like the young professional that she is. She performed CPR like a seasoned professional. With the others providing intravenous (IV) fluids, medications and defibrillation, Brittany rotated with other members of the team providing high quality CPR for the patient," he added. "For a student's first call to result in an actual life saved is very rewarding."
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Woman Critical After Rescue From Ohio Fire
Quan Truong - The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio
Posted: Sat, 10/22/2011 - 09:46pm
Updated: Sat, 10/22/2011 - 09:50pm
--
Oct. 22--A 50-year-old woman was in critical condition this morning after she was rescued from an apartment fire late yesterday.
Columbus firefighters were called to a home at 1626 W. 3rd Ave., across from Grandview High School, just after 11:15 p.m.
They found fire coming from the second floor apartment of the four-unit building, said Columbus Battalion Chief Michael Fowler.
The woman was rescued from the bathroom and was unresponsive when crews brought her out the back door and down the stairs. She began breathing again after CPR and was taken to the Ohio State University Hospital with second and third degree burns.
She was listed in critical condition early this morning.
The fire started in a couch in the living room and was listed as accidental. Fowler said the woman is a smoker. Smoke detectors were working.
______________
[Blogger's note: CPR by itself can occasionally restore spontaneous circulation. Most often, an AED and / or chemical intervention is required.]
Columbus firefighters were called to a home at 1626 W. 3rd Ave., across from Grandview High School, just after 11:15 p.m.
They found fire coming from the second floor apartment of the four-unit building, said Columbus Battalion Chief Michael Fowler.
The woman was rescued from the bathroom and was unresponsive when crews brought her out the back door and down the stairs. She began breathing again after CPR and was taken to the Ohio State University Hospital with second and third degree burns.
She was listed in critical condition early this morning.
The fire started in a couch in the living room and was listed as accidental. Fowler said the woman is a smoker. Smoke detectors were working.
______________
[Blogger's note: CPR by itself can occasionally restore spontaneous circulation. Most often, an AED and / or chemical intervention is required.]
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Canadian Doctors Speak Up
Emergency-room doctors say bystanders are morally obligated to perform chest compressions on cardiac arrest victims - whether or not they have been properly trained in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation - and CPR must be considered a “life skill” for all Canadians.
Representatives of the Canadian Association of Emergency Room Physicians (CAEP) told a news conference on Thursday that too many cardiac arrest victims are dying because the person beside them doesn’t know what to do, and is afraid to act.
“It must become a moral obligation and a social expectation that bystanders will perform CPR when they witness a cardiac arrest,” the doctors said in a position statement released to reporters. “The general population must come to understand that cardiac resuscitation is much more likely to be successful when CPR is started promptly, and the victims of cardiac arrest will almost certainly die if lay witnesses do not intervene.”
Every year, more than 20,000 people in Canada suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. It is the leading cause of death in this country and fewer than one in 10 people who have a heart attack in their home or on the street will return to normal health.
The odds of survival are increased by 300 to 400 per cent if the victims receive CPR immediately. But, even though half of all cardiac arrests that occur outside a hospital are witnessed by someone in the vicinity, bystanders jump in to help just 25 per cent of the time.
Increasing that rate to 50 per cent - as is the now case in a few Canadian communities - could save 2,000 lives annually, says the CAEP.
The doctors say they realize there reasons why bystanders are reticent to intervene. Many people do not know CPR. And, among the 60 per cent of Canadians who have been trained in the procedure at least once, the skills are often rusty. That leads to “hesitation and inaction.”
But the CAEP says “all Canadians should respond and provide chest compressions (with or without mouth-to-mouth ventilation) whether they are trained or not, when an adult, child or infant suddenly collapses.” And 9-1-1 ambulance dispatchers should provide CPR instructions to all those who call to report a cardiac emergency, say the doctors.
The American Heart Association and the Heart and the Stroke Foundation of Canada updated their resuscitation guidelines last year to say that compressing the chest of a cardiac arrest victim at a rate of about 100 times a minute is most critical response to a heart attack. It is something that can be done without training.
But the doctors also argue that every Canadian should learn CPR.
They recommend that life-saving education be a considered a pre-requisite for a high school diploma, tax exemptions should be given to companies who pay for CPR training for their workers, and individuals who take a CPR course should receive a 100-per-cent tax rebate.
In addition, the CAEP says it wants to join with other like-minded organizations to spearhead a national campaign to advance the cause of bystander CPR.
It could start with wallet size cards to be handed out by physicians that explain the importance of the procedure along with a computer link and telephone number so Canadians can learn when and where courses are held, say the doctors. Seniors could be a particular focus of the campaign because they are more likely to witness a cardiac arrest than younger people.
But “there must be widespread recognition,” says the CAEP, “that CPR is a simple but vital life skill everyone should learn and then put into practice in emergency situations.”
Editor's Note: An earlier version used heart attack and cardiac arrest as synonymous terms. The CAEP's statement refers to cardiac arrest victims.
Representatives of the Canadian Association of Emergency Room Physicians (CAEP) told a news conference on Thursday that too many cardiac arrest victims are dying because the person beside them doesn’t know what to do, and is afraid to act.
“It must become a moral obligation and a social expectation that bystanders will perform CPR when they witness a cardiac arrest,” the doctors said in a position statement released to reporters. “The general population must come to understand that cardiac resuscitation is much more likely to be successful when CPR is started promptly, and the victims of cardiac arrest will almost certainly die if lay witnesses do not intervene.”
Every year, more than 20,000 people in Canada suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. It is the leading cause of death in this country and fewer than one in 10 people who have a heart attack in their home or on the street will return to normal health.
The odds of survival are increased by 300 to 400 per cent if the victims receive CPR immediately. But, even though half of all cardiac arrests that occur outside a hospital are witnessed by someone in the vicinity, bystanders jump in to help just 25 per cent of the time.
Increasing that rate to 50 per cent - as is the now case in a few Canadian communities - could save 2,000 lives annually, says the CAEP.
The doctors say they realize there reasons why bystanders are reticent to intervene. Many people do not know CPR. And, among the 60 per cent of Canadians who have been trained in the procedure at least once, the skills are often rusty. That leads to “hesitation and inaction.”
But the CAEP says “all Canadians should respond and provide chest compressions (with or without mouth-to-mouth ventilation) whether they are trained or not, when an adult, child or infant suddenly collapses.” And 9-1-1 ambulance dispatchers should provide CPR instructions to all those who call to report a cardiac emergency, say the doctors.
The American Heart Association and the Heart and the Stroke Foundation of Canada updated their resuscitation guidelines last year to say that compressing the chest of a cardiac arrest victim at a rate of about 100 times a minute is most critical response to a heart attack. It is something that can be done without training.
But the doctors also argue that every Canadian should learn CPR.
They recommend that life-saving education be a considered a pre-requisite for a high school diploma, tax exemptions should be given to companies who pay for CPR training for their workers, and individuals who take a CPR course should receive a 100-per-cent tax rebate.
In addition, the CAEP says it wants to join with other like-minded organizations to spearhead a national campaign to advance the cause of bystander CPR.
It could start with wallet size cards to be handed out by physicians that explain the importance of the procedure along with a computer link and telephone number so Canadians can learn when and where courses are held, say the doctors. Seniors could be a particular focus of the campaign because they are more likely to witness a cardiac arrest than younger people.
But “there must be widespread recognition,” says the CAEP, “that CPR is a simple but vital life skill everyone should learn and then put into practice in emergency situations.”
Editor's Note: An earlier version used heart attack and cardiac arrest as synonymous terms. The CAEP's statement refers to cardiac arrest victims.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Close call on school field carries lessons
October 11, 2011 | 3:00 p.m.
Lessons can be learned from tragic events. In Baltimore County, we are fortunate that recently lessons have emerged, but a tragedy was averted.
Fast action and the fortunate presence of expertise combined on Sept. 27 to save the life of a teenager who went into cardiac arrest on an athletic field at Catonsville High School.
Breanna Sudano, a freshman on the Perry Hall High School junior varsity field hockey team, collapsed at the conclusion of a game at Catonsville High.
Among those present who were able to respond quickly to the emergency were two coaches and three nurses — one of them a cardiac nurse. They worked as a team to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Almost unquestionably, they saved this young athlete's life. They kept her pulse going until paramedics arrived and gave the girl an electric shock from an automated external defibrillator, which boosted her heartbeat.
One nurse later told a reporter she could not have done it alone. "There is no way one person could have done CPR by themselves. It was a team effort," she said.
The incident highlighted some issues that are worth discussing.
First, while a 2006 state law requires that an AED be available at a school for sporting events, the one at Catonsville was in the school building, some distance from the field.
Second, emergency response vehicles pulled into the wrong entrance at the stadium. The school's address covers a wide area and the caller did not specify the field where the incident was happening.
It's important that emergency responders know the layout of the high schools nearby. With the addition of lights and artificial turf, and fields now in use by recreation department and interscholastic programs, the potential for injury has gone up.
In any such emergency incident, it would seem a review of protocols and response is in order. Likely, it's already under way and will serve to sharpen preparedness.
That's a good thing. After all, next time, a lifesaving team may not be on the sideline.
Fast action and the fortunate presence of expertise combined on Sept. 27 to save the life of a teenager who went into cardiac arrest on an athletic field at Catonsville High School.
Breanna Sudano, a freshman on the Perry Hall High School junior varsity field hockey team, collapsed at the conclusion of a game at Catonsville High.
Among those present who were able to respond quickly to the emergency were two coaches and three nurses — one of them a cardiac nurse. They worked as a team to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Almost unquestionably, they saved this young athlete's life. They kept her pulse going until paramedics arrived and gave the girl an electric shock from an automated external defibrillator, which boosted her heartbeat.
One nurse later told a reporter she could not have done it alone. "There is no way one person could have done CPR by themselves. It was a team effort," she said.
The incident highlighted some issues that are worth discussing.
First, while a 2006 state law requires that an AED be available at a school for sporting events, the one at Catonsville was in the school building, some distance from the field.
Second, emergency response vehicles pulled into the wrong entrance at the stadium. The school's address covers a wide area and the caller did not specify the field where the incident was happening.
It's important that emergency responders know the layout of the high schools nearby. With the addition of lights and artificial turf, and fields now in use by recreation department and interscholastic programs, the potential for injury has gone up.
In any such emergency incident, it would seem a review of protocols and response is in order. Likely, it's already under way and will serve to sharpen preparedness.
That's a good thing. After all, next time, a lifesaving team may not be on the sideline.
Monday, October 10, 2011
It's either sloppy reporting or really tragic.
A math teacher at East Central High School died Monday morning after collapsing before classes started, officials said.
Melinda Villegas, 23, a full-time math teacher for all grades at the high school, was with colleagues, who “immediately started assisting her and went to get our school nurse's assistant to administer CPR,” said Stevie Gonzales, an East Central Independent School District spokeswoman.
“EMS continued the CPR in transporting her to Mission Trail Baptist Hospital,” where she was pronounced dead around 8 a.m., Gonzales said.
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/East-Central-teacher-23-dies-after-collapsing-2212049.php#ixzz1aQfmU64I
_________________
[note: the obvious concern when reading "...with colleagues, who “immediately started assisting her and went to get our school nurse's assistant to administer CPR." is the implication that nobody called 911 or started CPR before the Nurse's Assistant arrived. This also implies that nobody defibrillated her promptly at the scene.
The Phoenix airport has a ten year average survival from witnessed cardiac arrests with major brain functions intact of 75%, as opposed to a 6% survival rate with no worse than a CPC 2 score when all that is done is call 911 and wait for the ambulance. The answer is call 911, start CPR immediately, and defibrillate promptly.]
Melinda Villegas, 23, a full-time math teacher for all grades at the high school, was with colleagues, who “immediately started assisting her and went to get our school nurse's assistant to administer CPR,” said Stevie Gonzales, an East Central Independent School District spokeswoman.
“EMS continued the CPR in transporting her to Mission Trail Baptist Hospital,” where she was pronounced dead around 8 a.m., Gonzales said.
Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/East-Central-teacher-23-dies-after-collapsing-2212049.php#ixzz1aQfmU64I
_________________
[note: the obvious concern when reading "...with colleagues, who “immediately started assisting her and went to get our school nurse's assistant to administer CPR." is the implication that nobody called 911 or started CPR before the Nurse's Assistant arrived. This also implies that nobody defibrillated her promptly at the scene.
The Phoenix airport has a ten year average survival from witnessed cardiac arrests with major brain functions intact of 75%, as opposed to a 6% survival rate with no worse than a CPC 2 score when all that is done is call 911 and wait for the ambulance. The answer is call 911, start CPR immediately, and defibrillate promptly.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)