CPR saves lives, but did it tonight?

Right before our normal page out time tonight for drill, our tones went off. I didn't think too much of it, thinking the drill tone out was just a bit early. Actually, it was a cardiac arrest call in the pouring rain. Several Firefighters from our department responded. We worked great as a team, everyone knowing what to do and when.

Myself and another Firefighter/EMT rode to the hospital in the ambulance to help out. This is standard practice on a call that needs additional help. I ended up doing CPR in the ambulance running lights and sirens all the way to the hospital. It felt like a hour or more, but was probably only 10 or 15 minutes. Still feels like forever when you're trying to keep your balance and do decent chest compressions at the same time. The Emergency Room crew was still working on the patient when we left so I don't know the outcome. Sometimes the only way we know (as morbid as this sounds) is to check the obituaries. It helps give me closure on calls - something we quite often don't get.

Here's an instructional video on CPR from youtube. Everyone should know how to do CPR and apply and AED. One note, for the general layperson, the AHA doesn't promote feeling for pulses anymore under the C for circulation. Instead, you're to look for signs of responsiveness, or the like.



Hey, learn it! It's a death defying act!!