Went to a call yesterday morning for a man having a heartattack, as we were leaving out the door we were advised over the radio that he wasn't breathing. The address was only a few blocks from the station and we arrived there pretty quickly. On arrival we found a 67yr old male in his bed, no pulse, not breathing, eyes wide open with dilated pupils, still warm, still limber, but completely unresponsive. This guy was in full cadiac arrest. We put him on the floor on a backboard, tried ventillating him using chin lift head tilt method but was unsuccessful so I inserted an oral airway(the room was very small, crowded and I was close enough to grab it and insert it for the other guy doing the ventillations) and we began CPR while the defib pads were being unwrapped, paused briefly to apply them and continued. EKG electrodes were also applied, and the guy was completely flatline.
I was doing chest compressions and co worker was ventillating with BVM/O2. The medics were having a difficult time trying to get an IV into him and were not successful. After a few minutes I was instructed to stop for a few seconds while the medic intubated the patient. We continued after intubation and a couple of minutes later I paused so they could reassess, the patient had regained a good pulse but still was not breathing on his own. We continued ventillations as we prepped him for transport. I noticed that the patients pupils were no longer dilated (a good sign of oxygen getting to the brain). We transported him to the hospital where they established an IV in one of his hands and were able to administer the proper drugs.

While at the scene, I noticed his wife and daughter crying and panicing in the hallway after seeing the EKG and no indications on it and after I was done doing compressions I went out and told his daughter(she spoke english, the mother didn't) that he had regained a pulse and we were breathing for him she completely broke down hugging me and crying.
It was all I could do to keep myself from crying with her and I told her and her mom to get their things ready to follow us up to the hospital.

The medics came by the station an hour or two later and said he was doing much better and breathing on his own. Hopefully he wasn't deprived of too much oxygen for too long

Kinda made my day.

Awesome Work!

You tommygun2000 are a good man!!!!

Dude, great job!  What an awsome feeling that must have been!

golf clap.

Way to go!  Good job hon.

Get that man a beer, stat.

Way to go Tommy!!!!


ATTENTION - ARF

LEARN CPR.

The life you save could be one of the ones you love.

Quoted: Went to a call yesterday morning for a man having a heartattack, as we were leaving out the door we were advised over the radio that he wasn't breathing. The address was only a few blocks from the station and we arrived there pretty quickly. On arrival we found a 67yr old male in his bed, no pulse, not breathing, eyes wide open with dilated pupils, still warm, still limber, but completely unresponsive. This guy was in full cadiac arrest. We put him on the floor on a backboard, tried ventillating him using chin lift head tilt method but was unsuccessful so I inserted an oral airway(the room was very small, crowded and I was close enough to grab it and insert it for the other guy doing the ventillations) and we began CPR while the defib pads were being unwrapped, paused briefly to apply them and continued. EKG electrodes were also applied, and the guy was completely flatline. I was doing chest compressions and co worker was ventillating with BVM/O2. The medics were having a difficult time trying to get an IV into him and were not successful. After a few minutes I was instructed to stop for a few seconds while the medic intubated the patient. We continued after intubation and a couple of minutes later I paused so they could reassess, the patient had regained a good pulse but still was not breathing on his own. We continued ventillations as we prepped him for transport. I noticed that the patients pupils were no longer dilated (a good sign of oxygen getting to the brain). We transported him to the hospital where they established an IV in one of his hands and were able to administer the proper drugs. While at the scene, I noticed his wife and daughter crying and panicing in the hallway after seeing the EKG and no indications on it and after I was done doing compressions I went out and told his daughter(she spoke english, the mother didn't) that he had regained a pulse and we were breathing for him she completely broke down hugging me and crying. It was all I could do to keep myself from crying with her and I told her and her mom to get their things ready to follow us up to the hospital. The medics came by the station an hour or two later and said he was doing much better and breathing on his own. Hopefully he wasn't deprived of too much oxygen for too long Kinda made my day.

Very good work Tommygun2000
As a old crusty medic you have done your job well. I have been there many times. The first time I did CPR was on a 18 month old that dad had given hard candy to. Total airway obstuction, he came into the store I was working at and layed his lifeless kid on the counter and screemed for help. I responded delivered back blows dislodged the candy, started ventilations, and had to start chest compressions. By the time the medic arrived I had respirations and a pulse. Dad thanked the medics for saving his daughter. The medic turned looked at him and said "if it wasn't for that guy over there your daughter would be dead" I had just finished the CPR section of my first EMT class and had several months to go. That was 23 years ago, I wonder how the girl turn out?

good job, its not often you get a save, but to get a save from asystole back to a pulse with no drugs or pacing, just compressions and ventilations is very rare with an adult patient.

Quoted: Quoted: Went to a call yesterday morning for a man having a heartattack, as we were leaving out the door we were advised over the radio that he wasn't breathing. The address was only a few blocks from the station and we arrived there pretty quickly. On arrival we found a 67yr old male in his bed, no pulse, not breathing, eyes wide open with dilated pupils, still warm, still limber, but completely unresponsive. This guy was in full cadiac arrest. We put him on the floor on a backboard, tried ventillating him using chin lift head tilt method but was unsuccessful so I inserted an oral airway(the room was very small, crowded and I was close enough to grab it and insert it for the other guy doing the ventillations) and we began CPR while the defib pads were being unwrapped, paused briefly to apply them and continued. EKG electrodes were also applied, and the guy was completely flatline. I was doing chest compressions and co worker was ventillating with BVM/O2. The medics were having a difficult time trying to get an IV into him and were not successful. After a few minutes I was instructed to stop for a few seconds while the medic intubated the patient. We continued after intubation and a couple of minutes later I paused so they could reassess, the patient had regained a good pulse but still was not breathing on his own. We continued ventillations as we prepped him for transport. I noticed that the patients pupils were no longer dilated (a good sign of oxygen getting to the brain). We transported him to the hospital where they established an IV in one of his hands and were able to administer the proper drugs. While at the scene, I noticed his wife and daughter crying and panicing in the hallway after seeing the EKG and no indications on it and after I was done doing compressions I went out and told his daughter(she spoke english, the mother didn't) that he had regained a pulse and we were breathing for him she completely broke down hugging me and crying. It was all I could do to keep myself from crying with her and I told her and her mom to get their things ready to follow us up to the hospital. The medics came by the station an hour or two later and said he was doing much better and breathing on his own. Hopefully he wasn't deprived of too much oxygen for too long Kinda made my day. Very good work Tommygun2000 As a old crusty medic you have done your job well. I have been there many times. The first time I did CPR was on a 18 month old that dad had given hard candy to. Total airway obstuction, he came into the store I was working at and layed his lifeless kid on the counter and screemed for help. I responded delivered back blows dislodged the candy, started ventilations, and had to start chest compressions. By the time the medic arrived I had respirations and a pulse. Dad thanked the medics for saving his daughter. The medic turned looked at him and said "if it wasn't for that guy over there your daughter would be dead" I had just finished the CPR section of my first EMT class and had several months to go. That was 23 years ago, I wonder how the girl turn out?

Well congratulations snarfbatt, hopefully she did well. I often think of the many lives that good trained medics save every day with their skills, especially military combat medics who see some of the real bad stuff that happens to people.
I'm just a first responder(25 yrs certified) but have gone through the EMT course(never certified because of labor relations issues with the city I work for) but I feel confident in my abilities although I don't proceed beyond my legal boundaries of patient care. I am approaching retirement from a city FD but will continue to certify as a first responder as long as I am able to. It's good stuff to know when someones world is falling apart around you and usually is very helpful in future outcome of the patient.
I have maintained forever that nobody should be able to graduate highschool without at least a first responder cert., and knowledge of how to swim, niether is that difficult. It should be part of every school cirriculum just like math, science, physed, ect.

I second NFBBM's post......Learn CPR and stay current with the protocols.....it may mean the difference between life and death for someone near and/or dear to you sometime.

Funny, I was just wondering if I could revive my dad if he had a heart attack.  That's what my grandpa died from, and my dad's getting up there, he's 68.

Good job!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Went to a call yesterday morning for a man having a heartattack, as we were leaving out the door we were advised over the radio that he wasn't breathing. The address was only a few blocks from the station and we arrived there pretty quickly. On arrival we found a 67yr old male in his bed, no pulse, not breathing, eyes wide open with dilated pupils, still warm, still limber, but completely unresponsive. This guy was in full cadiac arrest. We put him on the floor on a backboard, tried ventillating him using chin lift head tilt method but was unsuccessful so I inserted an oral airway(the room was very small, crowded and I was close enough to grab it and insert it for the other guy doing the ventillations) and we began CPR while the defib pads were being unwrapped, paused briefly to apply them and continued. EKG electrodes were also applied, and the guy was completely flatline. I was doing chest compressions and co worker was ventillating with BVM/O2. The medics were having a difficult time trying to get an IV into him and were not successful. After a few minutes I was instructed to stop for a few seconds while the medic intubated the patient. We continued after intubation and a couple of minutes later I paused so they could reassess, the patient had regained a good pulse but still was not breathing on his own. We continued ventillations as we prepped him for transport. I noticed that the patients pupils were no longer dilated (a good sign of oxygen getting to the brain). We transported him to the hospital where they established an IV in one of his hands and were able to administer the proper drugs. While at the scene, I noticed his wife and daughter crying and panicing in the hallway after seeing the EKG and no indications on it and after I was done doing compressions I went out and told his daughter(she spoke english, the mother didn't) that he had regained a pulse and we were breathing for him she completely broke down hugging me and crying. It was all I could do to keep myself from crying with her and I told her and her mom to get their things ready to follow us up to the hospital. The medics came by the station an hour or two later and said he was doing much better and breathing on his own. Hopefully he wasn't deprived of too much oxygen for too long Kinda made my day. Very good work Tommygun2000 As a old crusty medic you have done your job well. I have been there many times. The first time I did CPR was on a 18 month old that dad had given hard candy to. Total airway obstuction, he came into the store I was working at and layed his lifeless kid on the counter and screemed for help. I responded delivered back blows dislodged the candy, started ventilations, and had to start chest compressions. By the time the medic arrived I had respirations and a pulse. Dad thanked the medics for saving his daughter. The medic turned looked at him and said "if it wasn't for that guy over there your daughter would be dead" I had just finished the CPR section of my first EMT class and had several months to go. That was 23 years ago, I wonder how the girl turn out? Well congratulations snarfbatt, hopefully she did well. I often think of the many lives that good trained medics save every day with their skills, especially military combat medics who see some of the real bad stuff that happens to people. I'm just a first responder(25 yrs certified) but have gone through the EMT course(never certified because of labor relations issues with the city I work for) but I feel confident in my abilities although I don't proceed beyond my legal boundaries of patient care. I am approaching retirement from a city FD but will continue to certify as a first responder as long as I am able to. It's good stuff to know when someones world is falling apart around you and usually is very helpful in future outcome of the patient. I have maintained forever that nobody should be able to graduate highschool without at least a first responder cert., and knowledge of how to swim, niether is that difficult. It should be part of every school cirriculum just like math, science, physed, ect. I second NFBBM's post......Learn CPR and stay current with the protocols.....it may mean the difference between life and death for someone near and/or dear to you sometime.

Good job TG2K!

another +1 on taking CPR. First Responder or EMT - check with your local community colleges for courses, they are dirt cheap ($50 for FR, $75 for EMT)

Quoted: Funny, I was just wondering if I could revive my dad if he had a heart attack.  That's what my grandpa died from, and my dad's getting up there, he's 68.

Raven, if you haven't yet,  learn it....it works well in many if not most cases. I'm two for two in my use of it. Previous to yesterdays incident was about 12 years ago, similar situation, a man in his late 60's was watching TV in the livingroom, his wife walks in and finds him slumped over on the couch in full arrest. We delivered him to the ER with a pulse and BP and breathing on his own. He did well with rapid effective intervention.

[Standing Ovation] Great Job, tommygun2000 [Standing Ovation]



Seriously.

That's the best feeling in the world, brother! Well done! Days like this make the long hours and miserable pay worth it......

So...  was this guy one of the illegal immigrants people were wanting to SSS here?

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=425652

Great save.

Good job, lifesaver!

What did his man lips taste like?  Was he eating anything cool?

Quoted: Quoted: Funny, I was just wondering if I could revive my dad if he had a heart attack.  That's what my grandpa died from, and my dad's getting up there, he's 68. Raven, if you haven't yet,  learn it....it works well in many if not most cases. I'm two for two in my use of it. Previous to yesterdays incident was about 12 years ago, similar situation, a man in his late 60's was watching TV in the livingroom, his wife walks in and finds him slumped over on the couch in full arrest. We delivered him to the ER with a pulse and BP and breathing on his own. He did well with rapid effective intervention.

I was taught CPR and first aid 11 years ago for a job, it's been a while.

Reversal in the field is pretty rare, especially on a pt gone asystole!

You really need the medics there with any hope to do a successful reversal. AED and compression alone might get a weak rythm but its drugs that prevent the pt from going tits up again.

Congrats. NY EMT-B here. I just finished cert not a month ago!

Quoted: So...  was this guy one of the illegal immigrants people were wanting to SSS here? www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=425652

I couldn't tell ya, I didn't ask him for his greencard or income sources nor could he have answered me if I did.

It's not my job, nor anyone elses to determine ones citizenship, income sources or insurance status when providing emergency medical treatment(not in this country anyway). I'm a paid first responder with statutory mandates of care to the public(all the public) via my job and state law. I don't have the rights of a doctor to refuse to form a relationship with the patients I see, nor do they(doctors) under dire emergency conditions. I respond and treat patients(all patients) to the limits of my training as needed and assist those on scene with more credentials in any way I can under their direction to the best of my abilities.

I get paid the same if I go on no calls or 20 calls in a shift, if they are  minor or major.....the pay is the same. All patients receive the best emergency care possible with what is provided me to work with and discrimination of any type doesn't enter into the picture.

I don't know the "behind the scenes" intent of your post, good or bad,  but hopefully if you or a member of your family ever keels over or is injured and in dire straights,  someone will treat you or them with the same human respect and dignity and do whats immediately necessary to assist without first trying to determine if you/they are worthy of living or not based on your income source, color, race, religion, sexual preference, particularly with you or your family looking on.

Proper CPR is so easy, we regularly talk people through it on the phone in order so save the lives of their loved ones.

Click Here

This is someone from our dayshift.

Quoted: Reversal in the field is pretty rare, especially on a pt gone asystole! You really need the medics there with any hope to do a successful reversal. AED and compression alone might get a weak rythm but its drugs that prevent the pt from going tits up again. Congrats. NY EMT-B here. I just finished cert not a month ago!

Congrat on the cert CK1,  I agree about the drug necessity. Thankfully for this guy the trip to the hospital was short and he managed to hang in there until an IV could be established there.

Well done!

CPR is something that should be taught in health classes from elementary school up.

Saving a choking child will sure get your heart moving.
My son has choked twice, and had 2 allergic reactions.
If myself, or other with training had'nt been around in those cases, I shudder to think....

Taking CPR is a great way to spend a winter weekend, give it a try.

DaddyDett