Short Staffed Fire Crew Gets Help To Save Life
Portland, Oregon – A passerby and a police officer help save a life. Portland Fire and Rescue says a 23-year old woman was on the ground at Southeast 13th and Gideon Saturday. She needed CPR. Crews got there within two minutes of being dispatched. When they arrived they saw a passerby and a cop trying to revive her. The Fire Bureau says it was short on staffing, and the “hands only” CPR by the good samaritan and the police officer, helped the patient regain a pulse before being taken to a hospital.
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Yesterday, at approximately 12:30 pm, Portland Fire & Rescue’s Rescue 23 (located SE 13th / Gideon) responded to a CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation) in progress call. Due to the proximity of the call, Rescue 23 personnel, staffed with only 2 members, arrived within two minutes of being dispatched to the call. Portland Fire & Rescue members arrived to witness a passerby (unidentified at this time) and a Portland Police Officer performing CPR on a 23 year old female on the ground.
Upon Rescue 23’s arrival, which consisted of a paramedic/firefighter officer and an emergency medical technician – basic/firefighter, they both initiated life saving interventions but recognized they were short on staffing upon arrival. Fire members asked the Portland Police Officer to continue hands only CPR, which they did efficiently and effectively. The hands only CPR by the passerby and the Portland Police Officer allowed Fire members to initiate medications and protect the airway.
Due to the recognition, willingness, and the cooperation of the passerby and the Portland Police Officer to initiate hands only CPR, the patient regained a pulse prior to transport to a local hospital.
Station 23 (SE 13th / Gideon), previously staffed a 4 person engine with advanced life support capabilities, but is now currently staffed with a Rescue Unit, only a two person crew.
Portland Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community the importance of hands only CPR. Hands only CPR administered in the first few minutes can increase the chance of survival for the victim. For every minute that passes without CPR, the chances of survival decreases by 10%.
Learning hands only CPR is easy! Portland Fire & Rescue will be at all remaining Sunday Parkways to teach the community hands only CPR. Click the following link for dates and locations of the Sunday Parkways, hosted by Portland Bureau of Transportation. https://www.portlandoregon.