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Off-Duty LBFD Firefighter Uses CPR To Save A Life
By JJohnson | July 11, 2009
On the evening of 7/7/09 at around 6:15pm, Long Beach Firefighter Kevin Byrne had to use the skills that we as a firefighters use everyday on the job, only this time he was off-duty and his friend/teammate was involved. Kevin was playing basketball in Newport Beach, getting ready to sub into the game. His teammate Dave was ready to come out for a break, when he bent over and rested his hands on his knees. Dave then called for a time out and then went down to the ground. Another teammate, Craig Covey who is a Captain with OCFA, also noticed his teammate go down and both he and Kevin jumped into action.
Byrne said Dave just went limp, falling flat on his back and slamming his head into the hardwood. Covey and Byrne rushed over while witnesses dialed 911.
Immediately, the two men began performing CPR, first with Covey on the chest compressions and Byrne assisting with breathing. The men said from the time Dave collapsed to them performing CPR, maybe 30 seconds had passed. Both knew CPR is only a temporary fix. The gym did not have a portable Automatic External Defibrillator, which can measure a person’s heart beat and give them the necessary shock. The men had to perform CPR for about four minutes, they said, before Newport Beach paramedics arrived with their defibrillator.
When paramedics arrived, they immediately gave Dave a shock, and that was all he needed. By the time Dave got to the hospital, he was conscious and talking to paramedics.
This type of incident demonstrates the importance of immediate bystander CPR followed by rapid advanced life support.
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