Archives for cardiac-arrest

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Multiple neighbors shooting video yesterday afternoon as a woman was brought out through a window of a Citrus Heights, California (Sacramento County) apartment, apparently in cardiac arrest and suffering from burns. At least word she was in critical condition.

Mirna Alfonso, Citrus Heights Patch:

A resident suffered burns, two families were displaced and a cat and dog died in a blaze at a Citrus Heights apartment building.

The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. in the 5800 block of Sunrise Vista Drive, according to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Capt. Kim Fong.

They found one person in the apartment, got the victim out through a bedroom window and medics transported the resident to a burn center, Fong said.

Maneeza Iqbal, KXTV-TV:

When crews arrived on scene, a firefighter broke a bedroom window of the unit on fire, entered the unit and rescued the woman trapped inside. Fong said the woman was transported to a burn unit with critical injuries.

A cat and a dog died in the fire.

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Posted by dave statter on March 8, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Patient Management, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: building fire, burns, California, Captain Kim Fong, cardiac arrest, Cirus Hieghts fire, Citrus Heights, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Kim Fong, paramedic, Sacaramento Metropolitan Fire District, save CPR, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, woman rescued, woman trapped

Is Plano, TX Fire Chief Brian Crawford the best person to be at the gym with or the worst? You be the judge.

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Read more at PlanoStar.com

It appears that when Plano, Texas Chief Brian Crawford decides to visit the gym on a Wednesday night, you better watch out because someone is likely to go into cardiac arrest. That’s the bad news. The good news is the two people that has happened to just three weeks apart are lucky to have had Chief Crawford and some other workers at the city run recreation center around.

You may recall the January 30 story we told you about of Chief Crawford having his workout interrupted to help the staff at Tom Muehlenbeck Center revive a 53-year-old man. Well, last Wednesday a reception was held at the rec center to honor the rescuers. The man who was revived was also there.

Matthew Watkins at DallasNews.com reports while the celebration was under way, a 62-year-old man went down in the middle of playing basketball at the center:

Again, parks department employees and the same paramedics who were being honored rushed to help the 62-year-old man. CPR was performed and the man was alert and talking by the time he was transported to the hospital.

“These CPR save stories are proof that our outreach efforts and CPR training are coming together and saving lives,” Crawford said in a press release. “Citizens are empowered with the knowledge and skill to do what needs to be done in the minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest; calling 9-1-1 to get the fire crews on the way and performing CPR. Plano’s a great place to live, and while it may seem strangely comforting, a great place to have a cardiac arrest if you’re going to
have one.”

Congratulations to all involved.

My memory is hazy on this but I recall a similar story in the Washington, DC area years ago, except that in that case the revived victim of the first cardiac arrest, coded again during the ceremony and was revived again by the same crew. Who remembers this? Was it in Howard County or possibly Montgomery County?

Posted by dave statter on February 27, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Rescues • Tagged: AED, Brian Crawford, cardiac arrest, Chief Brian Crawford, Command Fire Apparatus, CPR, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, gym, paramedic, Patrick McGill, Plano, Plano Fire Department, rescue, resuscitate, save, sellfiretrucks.com, Shreveport, STATter911.com, Texas, Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center, working out

New fire chief makes impression in Plano, TX, Brian Crawford helps save man in cardiac arrest.

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A 53-year-old man in Plano, Texas survived sudden cardiac arrest thanks to the city’s new fire chief and others. Brian Crawford, who arrived in Plano at the beginning of December after a long career in Shreveport, Louisiana, was off-duty working out at the Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center around 8:30 PM Wednesday night when the man collapsed. Crawford assisted Patrick McGill, a recreation center employee, who had started CPR.

Bailey McGowan, WFAA-TV:

A City of Plano employee alerted Crawford, and he was able to help the rec center’s employees and a Plano doctor administer CPR.

The team used one of the center’s three Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and the patron was awake and speaking with Crawford by the time Plano-Fire Rescuers arrived on the scene some five minutes later.

The patron was transferred to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Plano and is in stable condition Thursday while undergoing tests, according to a press release.

Ray Villeda, KXAS-TV:

“One of the city employees who I work with, knew I was in the gym…told me someone working out had gone down actually so I came over,” Crawford said. “I’m already yelling at the staff, or anyone that will listen to me, get the AED and call 911!”

“As soon as he opened his eyes, I whispered in his ear and I said can you tell me what your name is,” Crawford said. “He told me his first name, kind of asked me what happened, asked him if he knew where he was, he said I’m at the fitness center.”

Plano Fire-Rescue Medical Director Dr. Mark Gamber credits the staff at the Muehlenbeck Center with their quick action in calling 911, performing CPR and using the AED.

“When a citizen experiences cardiac arrest, chest compression and AED use are the most important factors in saving their life,” Dr. Gamber said. “This gentleman survived thanks to the rapid action of Chief Crawford and other Plano citizens.”

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Posted by dave statter on February 1, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, News, Patient Management, Videos • Tagged: AED, Brian Crawford, cardiac arrest, Chief Brian Crawford, Command Fire Apparatus, CPR, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, gym, paramedic, Patrick McGill, Plano, Plano Fire Department, rescue, resuscitate, save, sellfiretrucks.com, Shreveport, STATter911.com, Texas, Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center, working out

Fireground radio traffic: Detroit heavy rescue transports two little boys from house fire due to lack of EMS. One dead, one critical.

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Fossilmedic Mike Ward looks at dismal state of Detroit’s EMS fleet

Tony Briscoe & George Hunter, The Detroit News:

Capt. Dale Bradley said the 911 call for the fire came in at 6:59 a.m. and Squad 4 arrived five minutes later. However, it wasn’t until a second 911 call came in at 7:12 a.m. that the Fire Department was notified the upstairs was occupied. EMS was dispatched at 7:13 a.m., but Squad 4 made the decision to transport the boys themselves at 7:15 a.m.

“When it came in, it came in as a house fire,” Bradley said. “And EMS isn’t normally dispatched to a dwelling fire unless the caller indicates people are trapped inside.”

Fire officials say Medic 5, stationed road 6.2 miles away near the intersection of Joy and Southfield, was called to the fire. Two other ambulances were stationed closer to the scene, but one was responding to a caller with back pain and the other was broken down at the time.

Fox 2 News Headlines

WDIV-TV:

Rescue crews were unable to save 6-year-old Michael Chavez after pulling him from the burning home.

His 4-year-old brother, Julio Chavez, is said to be in “extremely critical” condition.

Firefighters have expressed their sadness and outrage on Facebook – upset that no medic came to the house to help the boys. A source with Detroit EMS is also furious over the decisions made Tuesday morning. The source tells Local 4 that medics from a station at Joy and Southfield were called to the fire, when two other ambulances are stationed closer to the house. One of those ambulances was out on a what’s being called a “minor” run when the fire broke out, the next closest ambulance, Local 4 was told is broken down.

Both firefighters and medics are blaming Detroit’s city council and Mayor Dave Bing for allowing the city’s ambulance fleet to fall into such bad shape that ambulances’ are taken out of service and not repaired.

Maurielle Lue, WJBK-TV:

The boys were home alone asleep in an upstairs bedroom.

In a rare news conference, Executive Fire Commissioner Don Austin defended his team.

“First of all, when you have a cardiac arrest, you respond to the nearest, appropriate medical facility,” he said. “I don’t know the victim’s status. Most people die from a fire not from burns, but from smoke inhalation.”

“Squad Four immediately started CPR, loaded them into their squad vehicle,” Austin added.

“We’re the only city in the state that does not respond an EMS rig to every single fire,” said retired EMS worker Mike O’Neill.

With more than 130,000 calls a year and ten to twelve working units at any given time, it’s no secret the resources are limited. Commissioner Austin says Detroiters are getting the best coverage available, but sometimes the best just isn’t good enough.

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Posted by dave statter on January 29, 2013 • Filed under: 911 Audio, Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, Detroit Fire Department, Dispatch & Communications, Emergency Communications, EMS Dispatch, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Dispatch, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fireground Audio, Fires, Major Incidents, News, Patient Management, Videos • Tagged: building fire, cardiac arrest, child killed, Command Fire Apparatus, Commisioner Don Austin, controversy, CPR, Dave Statter, delayed response, Detroit Fire, Detroit Fire Department, Don Austin, Donald Austin, EMS, EMS response, EMS units, EMT, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fireground Audio, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, Heavy Rescue, home alone, house fire, Julio CHavez, Medic 5, medic units, Michael Chavez, paramedic, radio traffic, sellfiretrucks.com, Squad 4, STATter911.com, transport

Driver of ambulance dead. Crash occurred transporting burn victim from fatal fire in Sussex County, NJ.

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Seth Augenstein, The Star-Ledger:

Two are dead after a fatal house fire that’s being investigated by arson and major crimes units, officials confirmed today.

One person died in the blaze – but in a strange twist, the driver of an ambulance carrying one of the victims of the fire died as he drove to the hospital, authorities said. The patient in the ambulance survived.

The second injured occupant of the house was taken away in the ambulance that crashed shortly thereafter on Stillwater-Fredon Road – but he was then transferred to another ambulance and taken to a hospital, Mueller added. The driver apparently had a medical issue, crashed, and was pronounced dead at the scene, said Sgt. Adam Grossman of the state police.

NJHerald.com:

An ambulance that may have been carrying a burn victim of the fire hit a tree when the driver went into cardiac arrest, according to scanner reports.

The passenger in the ambulance was later transported to a burn center for treatment.

WABC-TV:

The 68-year-old victim was transferred from the crashed ambulance to another ambulance and taken to the hospital in unknown condition.

One person died in the fire, in a house on Potters Road, that broke out shortly after 4:30 a.m.

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Posted by dave statter on January 8, 2013 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Health & Safety, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Fires, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: ambulance crew, ambulance hits tree, building fire, burn victim, cardiac arrest, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, deadly fire, EMS, EMT, fatal fire, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, medical issue, New Jersey, paramedic, rescue, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, Stillwater, Stillwater ambulance, Stillwater fire, structure fire, Sussex County, Sussex County fire

Walter Patmon Jr. second Chicago firefighter to die in 10 days. Became ill after fire.

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Adam Sege & Nancy Stone, The Chicago Tribune:

For the second time in little more than a week, Chicago firefighters made a sad procession to the morgue today to honor a fallen colleague.

Walter Patmon Jr., 61, an 18-year veteran, died late Sunday night after going into cardiac arrest within hours of responding to a small kitchen fire in the 1500 block of West 99th Street, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Will Knight said. The firefighters discovered meat burning on a stove, officials said.

After returning to his firehouse, Patmon experienced shortness of breath while cleaning equipment, Knight said. He was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital, where he went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at 11:21 p.m.

WGN-TV:

Firefighter Walter Patmon Jr., 61, was an 18-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department. He worked out of Engine Company No. 121 at 1700 West 95th Street.

Patmon returned to his firehouse last night after responding to a small kitchen fire in a home on West 99th Street. He said he felt short of breath and was rushed to Little Company of Mary Hospital. On the way he went into cardiac arrest and later died.

Patmon is survived by his wife and three daughters.

Jessic D’Onofrio, WLS-TV:

“Walter was a super dude. I mean, every day when we see him, he always got a smile,” said the Chicago Fire Department’s Michael Griffin.

Patmon, who was known by his childhood nickname “Bubble,” was just a few years away from retirement.

“I used to say, ‘Walter, you’re kind of in a busy fire house. Isn’t it time to kind of slow down?’ He said, ‘No, I’m not going anywhere. I love this fire house. I love this department, and I’m staying where I’m at,’” retired senior firefighter Irving Brown said.

Patmon’s death comes three days after the funeral of Cpt. Herbie Johnson, also of the Chicago Fire Department.

Posted by dave statter on November 12, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Chicago Fire Department, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Videos • Tagged: building fire, cardiac arrest, CFD, Chicago Fire, Chicago Fire Department, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighter dies, Firefighter Walter Patmon, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, heart attack, Herbert Johnson, Herbie Johnson, kitchen fire, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire, Walter Patmon, Walter Patmon Jr.

Lt. Richard Nappi, FDNY Engine 237, dies at three-alarm Brooklyn warehouse fire. Mayor says ‘Lt. Nappi overheated, suffered exhaustion and collapsed.’

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Read statement by Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Forty-seven-year-old Lieutenant Richard Nappi of Engine 237, a 17-year veteran of the FDNY, died during a fire reported around 1:00 this afternoon at a warehouse on Flushing Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. Lt. Nappi was a Bronx native who lived in Suffolk County. He has a wife Mary Anne, a 12-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. According to a statement from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Lt. Nappi overheated, suffered exhaustion and collapsed.

Joeseph Goldstein & Andy Newman, The New York Times:

A veteran city fire lieutenant died of an apparent heart attack on Monday afternoon while battling a three-alarm warehouse blaze in Brooklyn, the authorities said.

Fire Lt. Richard Nappi, 47, was commanding a hose line at the fire, at 930 Flushing Avenue in Bushwick, when he began feeling dizzy, Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said. He soon went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at Woodhull Medical center at 3:32 p.m., the authorities said.

“This is a very tragic day for New York City,” Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said at a news conference at Woodhull. “Someone who devoted his life to keeping us safe is no longer with us.”

Kerry Burke & Barry Paddock, New York Daily News:

After becoming overheated, Lt. Richard Nappi, 47, of Farmingville, L.I., was taken in cardiac arrest to Woodhull Medical Center, where he died, officials said.

“Outside of his family, his life’s work was keeping New Yorker safe from fires, and by any measure he succeeded magnificently,” said Mayor Bloomberg, speaking at a press conference at the hospital.

They mayor comforted Nappi’s wife, Mary Anne, at the hospital. Nappi, a 9/11 first-responder, also leaves behind a 12-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son.

Posted by dave statter on April 16, 2012 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, FDNY, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, In the Line of Duty, Line of Duty, Major Incidents, News, Videos • Tagged: Brooklyn, Brooklyn fire, building fire, Bushwick, Bushwick fire, cardiac arrest, Command Fire Apparatus, commercial fire, Dave Statter, dies at Brooklyn fire, EMS, EMT, Engine 237, exhaustion, FDNY, FDNY Engine 237, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighter dies, firefighter killed, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Flushing Avenue, Glenn Usdin, heat exhaustion, in the line of duty, line of duty death, LODD, Lt. Nappi, Lt. Richard Nappi, Mary Anne Nappi, Michael Bloomberg, overheated, paramedic, Richard Nappi, Sal Cassano, Salvatore Cassano, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, structure fire, three-alarm fire, warehouse fire

Early raw video: Woman who had returned for cat pulled from burning Whitehall, Pennsylvania home in cardiac arrest.

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Newsworking's Bill Rohr was on the scene early this morning in Whitehall Township as firefighters pulled a woman out of a burning home. Here's some of what Bill wrote on his site:

Just before 04:30, the box was transmitted for a house fire at 3308 N. Ruch Street in the Stiles section of the township sending Engines 4 (3911), 3 (3812), 13 (3811), 14 (3912), Truck 6 and Rescue 8.

Assistant Chief Kunkle (4A) reports fire on the second floor of the 2.5 story duplex with a female still inside. Engines 3 and 4 arrive and 4 stretches one hand line to the second floor. Engine 3 members go to work with the search. Moments later, firefighters carry out a female and administer CPR until the paramedics arrives from Cetronia 62.

The fire is quickly darkened down using one hand line. Truck 6 arrives and starts to ventilate by taking out the front windows. The fire was venting out of a 2nd floor rear window on arrival.

More details from Tracy Jordan at The Morning Call:

A couple and their son escaped the fire, but the wife re-entered the building to search for the family's pet cat, Fire Chief Robert Benner said.

"They came upon her almost at the same time they were starting to try to fight the fire," Benner said.

The woman, whom Benner said likely was overcome by smoke, was found lying in the second-floor hallway.

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Posted by dave statter on February 14, 2012 • Filed under: Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, News, Rescues, Videos • Tagged: Bill Rohr, cardiac arrest, CAT, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighting, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, house fire, Newsworking, paramedic, Pennsylvania, Ruch Street, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, Whitehall, Whitehall fire, Whitehall Township, woman rescued, woman tries to rescue pet

Firefighter in cardiac arrest at Elkton, MD house fire revived. Second firefighter needed help after losing air.

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From Steve Kilar at the Baltimore Sun:

Seven people and a tortoise, among other pets, were displaced by a duplex fire in downtown Elkton Friday afternoon that also caused one firefighter to have a heart attack and sent another to the hospital.

Shortly after noon, one half of a duplex in the 100 block of Church St. caught fire, bringing fifty firefighters from several nearby jurisdictions to the scene, according to a statement from the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office.

From Josh Shannon at The Cecil Whig:

The first injury came when a Singerly firefighter's breathing apparatus malfunctioned, causing him to run out of oxygen before he could exit the building. Capt. David Caldwell, 47, was assisted out the building through a second-floor window, given oxygen and taken to the hospital.

Shortly after that, a Chesapeake City firefighter exiting the duplex collapsed on the front porch. More than a dozen of his colleagues converged around him, and one firefighter, trained as a paramedic, began treating him.

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Posted by dave statter on December 31, 2011 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, Command & Leadership, EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics • Tagged: cardiac arrest, cecil county, Chesapeake City firefighter, Church Street, collapse, Command Fire Apparatus, Dave Statter, David Caldwell, Elkton, Elkton Fire Department, EMS, EMT, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Maryland, mayday, Singerly Fire

Houston’s Darin Unruh back fighting fires. Captain was critically burned & in cardiac arrest at 2008 blaze.

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Previous STATter911 coverage of this story

We have followed the story of Darin Unruh since the night he was burned in November 2008. The Houston fire captain was in cardiac arrest for six minutes after being pulled from the fire in northeast Houston. His mask had come off while fighting the fire, critically burning his face and neck. It may have been as long as five minutes before fellow firefighters found Unruh. It wasn't clear that Unruh was going to survive. Among other medical problems, Darrin Unruh's eyelids had to be rebuilt and he was given a cornea transplant in his left eye. Despite all of that, Captain Darin Unruh is back riding a fire truck in Houston. Watch this remarkable story.

Posted by dave statter on June 3, 2011 • Filed under: EMS Topics, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, Firefighter Safety & Health, Firefighting Operations, Fires, Houston Fire Department, News, Videos • Tagged: burned firefighter, cardiac arrest, Command Fire Apparatus, cornea transplant, CPR, Darin Unruh, Dave Statter, EMS, EMT, fire, Fire Truck Blog, firefighter, firefighter down, firefighting, Fires, FireTruckBlog.com, Glenn Usdin, Houston, paramedic, sellfiretrucks.com, STATter911.com, Texas

Some good news: Bangor Fire Department Captain John Prentiss saved by the firefighter/paramedics who travel with him.

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We’ve been so busy with the tragic news from Chicago a couple of our readers wanted to make sure we didn’t completely miss this story from Bangor, Maine. It is about the saving of 55-year-old Capt. John Prentiss, a 23-year Bangor Fire Department veteran. Prentiss owes his life to his crew, firefighters Melinda Caldwell, Nate Snyder, Bruce Johnson and Joe Wellman. The captain went into cardiac arrest last Sunday while responding on an emergency call.

If this is going to happen, it sure helps to have some firefighter/paramedics riding with you on the rig and on the ambulance that’s following the engine. Read the complete story from bangordailynews.com.