On March 11, 2022 a patron suffered a seizure while visiting Mountain High Ski Resort, rendering him immobile. Thanks to Ski Patrol personnel Amando Hernandez, Joseph Valdez, Wyatt Benson, Rebecca Gilbert, Billie Davis and Jimmy Vu, who immediately started life-saving measures, a man lives to see another day with his family by his side.
Upon San Bernardino County Fire (SBCoFD) arrival, paramedics were met by ski patrol who were applying CPR to a 55-year-old male. Ski patrol personnel had already given two shocks with their Automated External Defibrillator (AED) as the patient was pulse-less and apneic prior to firefighter arrival. Firefighter Paramedics immediately evaluated the patient and administered advanced life-saving medical techniques. He was transported by a County Fire ambulance to a nearby hospital.
“These ski patrol members are credited with saving a life. Their training and quick actions kept this gentleman alive until firefighters could arrive,” stated Assistant Chief Dave Corbin.
Early application of CPR and rapid defibrillation from an AED have proven to be crucial in improving a person’s chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest. An AED is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest. To learn more, https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/aed/using-an-aed/what-is-aed.
For their courageous act, Assistant Chief Dave Corbin and the firefighter crew from Station 14 presented the six ski patrol members with a fire department Lifesaving Award at yesterday evening Wrightwood Community Services District meeting.
