EMR reunion in time for World Restart a Heart Day

The CFA crew, bystanders and Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics who helped save Rodney Smith’s life reunited on Monday to raise awareness of World Restart a Heart Day.

EMR reunion in time for World Restart a Heart Day

Rodney with CFA and AV

Rodney Smith collapsed at work at 8.20am on January 7 this year; luckily two colleagues were trained in CPR and sprung to action immediately saving his life.

The closet ambulance paramedics were dispatched, along with CFA firefighters trained to administer emergency medical response (EMR).

CFA firefighters arrived first and took over CPR, with paramedics arriving moments later.

Rodney was revived and flown by air ambulance helicopter to Royal Melbourne Hospital, he recognised he was very fortunate he was with CPR trained colleagues.

“When I went into cardiac arrest my work colleague Drew performed CPR on me until first responders arrived because of him, the firefighters and paramedics, I am still here.

“It’s imperative in the chain of survival in a lot of circumstances and I was just fortunate enough that the man closest to me was trained in CPR and kept me alive until the first responders arrived.”

CFA Senior Station Officer David Brown said it was an exemplary example of our EMR capability.

“It’s an amazing result, you can work your whole career and not pull someone out of a burning building but due to the results of early CPR and CFA being EMR responders, we have a member of the community that’s alive today, and his family have him at home.”

Ambulance Victoria paramedic Peter Greenall said EMR was instrumental in the positive outcome.

“Because his colleague started in him within seconds him collapsing and CFA EMR was able to provide CPR while the paramedics could do the finer technical care.”

EMR is a co-responder program between Ambulance Victoria and CFA designed to improve survival from Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Today is World Restart a Heart Day which aims to raise awareness of the importance of CPR, defibrillators and first aid surrounding heart attacks.

/CFA News Release. View in full here.