EMS commends workers' quick thinking and actions

Four bystanders use CPR and AED to save life of cardiac arrest patient

EDMONTON — Four employees at Edmonton’s All Weather Windows are being recognized by Alberta Health Services’ Emergency Medical Services for their quick thinking and actions that saved their co-worker’s life.

On May 16, Manuel (Manny) Rodriguez arrived early to his shift as an inbound supervisor at All Weather Windows. Shortly after, he collapsed and turned blue.

As they rushed to his aid, Rodriguez’s co-workers grabbed the company’s emergency crash bag of medical supplies with its Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and called 911.

As two of his co-workers performed CPR, two others controlled the scene and waited for the ambulance to escort the paramedics to Rodriguez. During CPR, the AED was positioned on Rodriguez’s chest and used to shock his heart twice before the paramedics arrived to continue treatment for a cardiac arrest.

“I owe them my life,” says Rodriguez, 53. “My doctors said I’m alive because they reacted so quickly.”

The Edmonton man was transported to hospital, where he remained for three weeks.

“Their preparedness and immediate response undoubtedly saved Manny’s life,” says Alex Campbell, EMS Public Education Officer. “Saving the life of someone in cardiac arrest is a team effort. Early bystander CPR is the critical link in the chain of survival because your chance of surviving a cardiac arrest drops drastically for every minute that passes with no activity.”

All Weather Windows ensures a registered nurse is on duty with each shift and has employees trained in advanced first aid.

“We are proud of our employees and their quick response to this emergency,” says Richard Scott, CEO of All Weather Windows. “This reflects our commitment to promoting a positive safety culture. This recognition by AHS is a great testament to the work done by our employees every day.”

Statistics from the Heart and Stroke Foundation show that current survival rates for cardiac arrest are very low; it is estimated that only five per cent of Canadians survive a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. For every minute that defibrillation is delayed during cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops by seven to 10 per cent and resuscitation is rarely successful beyond 10 minutes.

“This case is such a great example of a workplace having a plan in place and the staff acting on it. We would encourage all workplaces to review and practice their medical event plans on a regular basis,” says Campbell.

All Weather Windows has purchased a second AED to improve its crash bag and will build on the emergency drills already in place.

All AEDs can be registered with www.heart-safe.ca. The service lets EMS dispatchers know where the AEDs are located, provides notifications for pad or battery expiration dates, and provides information on where to put an AED as well as making or changing an emergency response plan.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

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