This week, the City of Upland City Council recognized Fire Explorer Jake Hanson for his quick thinking and treatment while at routine doctor appointment. On June 16th, Jake witnessed another patient fall unconscious to the floor in the waiting room of Loma Linda Hospital. The older man suffered from sudden cardiac arrest while waiting to see a physician. Jake an Upland San Bernardino County Fire Explorer, had recently completed a CPR refresher course provided by San Bernardino County Fire Department’s Special Operations Division.
Jake, who was also waiting to see a physician for a routine check-up, witnessed the man fall from his chair. Jake took swift action moving to the victim’s side and began to assess the elderly victim. Jake determined the man unconscious with no palpable pulse or adequate breathing. Without hesitation, Jake initiated CPR procedures after calling for additional help from the hospital staff. Jake provided multiple rounds of CPR as the hospital assembled its emergency response team to provide advanced life support.
Jake understands that San Bernardino County Fire Department’s Service Motto of Duty, Honor, and Community. These are action words, not a slogan. As an Explorer from Post 955, Jake fell back on his training to provide healthcare provider-level cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) operation.
While the patient outcome was uncertain, Jake provided immediate life saving care which is crucial for cardiac arrest victims. Thank you Jake for your quick thinking and action.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating. Some 350,000 cases occur each year outside of a hospital, and the survival rate is less than 12 percent. CPR can double or triple the chances of survival.
CPR increases the possibility of surviving sudden cardiac arrest. But it’s not just trained professionals who can jump in to perform CPR. There are simple, lifesaving steps any bystander can take. “We think it should be a basic life skill,” such as knowing to call 911 when there’s a fire, said Dr. Clifton Callaway, a professor and executive vice chair of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He gives this simple guidance: If someone is unconscious and does not appear to be breathing properly, it’s time to start CPR chest compressions.
*Source Heart.org
