Oregon City, Or. –  More than a half dozen people who survived cardiac arrest met  the people who performed CPR and called 9-1-1, dispatchers and first responders today. Clackamas Fire District One held a Chain of Survival Celebration and handed all those involved a commemorative coin.

16 year old Seth Skoien drove down from Spokane with his mom, Melinda. He went into cardiac arrest last summer at a video arcade while visiting his grandparents here. He says today’s ceremony was “really cool to see this. It was very heartwarming.” His mom thanked the people who saved her son’s life.  She says “I just said sometimes thank you isn’t enough when they save your son’s life. How do you thank someone for that, you know?”

Clackamas Fire District One had a 35% survival rate for cardiac arrest calls last year. The national rate for cardiac arrests outside a hospital is less than 10%. The Fire District has focused on hands only CPR for the last five years.

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