Quick action can save a life in a cardiac incident

When someone collapses in cardiac arrest, every second counts. Quick action can literally bring a person back from the brink of death.

Your knowing what to do, acting quickly and having access to an automatic external defibrillator can be the margin of survival for a victim of a sudden cardiac incident.

Sisters Fire Chief Roger Johnson and Deputy Chief Tim Craig lined out the actions you should take in such an event:

• If someone collapses in your presence, call 911 immediately.

• Assess the victim's condition. If they are breathing DO NOT initiate CPR (cardiopulmonary resucitation). If the subject is NOT breathing and there are no signs of life, initiate CPR. If you do not know CPR, a 911 dispatcher can talk you through the procedure. It is better to act than to simply wait.

"It's good to have multiple people who can trade off, because it's very tiring," Chief Johnson notes.

It is, of course, best if you have training to administer CPR. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department offers regular three-hour classes (eight hours with a first aid component). Deep compressions are required to be effective, and trained people will likely do a more effective job.

"You're going to be more efficient, certainly," Chief Johnson said. "It's really important, the quality of CPR people get. It's far more effective to have trained people and certified people. Having a community that is well-trained in CPR and willing to initiate CPR is critical."

Do not worry about liability. Again, it is critical to act.

"The Oregon Good Samaritan Act protects people who volunteer to provide medical aid like that," Chief Johnson said.

The next critical element is defibrillation, which is very specific electric shock to reset the action of the heart. Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) make defibrillating a very simple and straightforward process for anyone to execute. The unit itself walks you through each step and the unit monitors the heart and determines on its own whether or not to deliver a shock. The value is incalculable.

"Early access to defibrillation is absolutely essential," says Deputy Chief Craig. "We're really hoping that these (AED) become as prolific as fire extinguishers."

The devices are entirely safe.

"There's absolutely no way for an untrained person to hurt someone else with an AED," Craig said.

The units cost $1,000 to $1,300 depending on accessories, and emergency personnel would like to see them in businesses and gathering places from music venues to churches.

"I think we have a need for more of these in the community," Johnson said.

Response times in the local community are very fast, but even if EMTs arrive within two or three minutes, a gap can be fatal. It's up to citizens to have the training and equipment and, above all, the willingness to step up and save a life.

For more information on CPR training, contact the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Protection District at 541-549-0771.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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