Cardiac Arrest Victim Successfully Resuscitated at Sioux Park Track

Bystanders, responders work together to achieve positive outcome.

Rapid City, S.D. – Just before 9 am this morning, Pennington County 9-1-1 dispatched Rapid City Fire Department units to the track at Sioux Park for a report of a cardiac arrest. An individual was exercising on the track and suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Bystanders immediately administered CPR. As is standard protocol, the Rapid City Police Department was also notified of the emergency. Senior Officer Jerred Younie and Senior Officer Mark Weyer were on patrol in the area and responded.

When Officers Weyer and Younie arrived, the pair deployed an automated external defibrillator (AED) from Younie’s patrol car. Officer Weyer administered one shock from the AED to the victim. Medic 3 and Rescue 3 from the RCFD station located on Federal Avenue were on scene within 4 minutes and began providing advanced life support (ALS). At the time the individual was delivered to a local hospital, they were conscious and able to communicate with medical staff.

The American Heart Association uses a metaphor to describe the series of actions that must be successfully performed to give victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest the best chance for survival. That metaphor is known as the Chain of Survival. Links in the chain include:

-Recognition of cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system

-Immediate high-quality CPR

-Rapid defibrillation

-Basic and advanced emergency medical services

-Advanced life support and post-arrest care

This incident today is a prime example of each of those links functioning flawlessly and ending in a positive result. This incident also highlights the importance of knowing CPR and being prepared to perform resuscitative efforts should they be needed. Each individual that responded to this incident were integral links in the Chain of Survival. The bystanders who quickly recognized cardiac arrest and initiated CPR, the 9-1-1 dispatchers that directed callers and activated EMS response, the RCPD officers that deployed their defibrillator quickly and efficiently, the outstanding pre-hospital care providers from the RCFD, and the medical staff at the receiving facility today were all links to a successful resuscitation.

To protect the identity of the individual involved, no information on the individuals gender, sex, age, etc. will be released. No further updates to this release are anticipated. For questions or comment related to this release, please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, RCFD Public Information Officer, at (605)-394-4180.

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