Business Traveler Perseveres to Save Young Man’s Life at Philadelphia Airport Posted September 30th, 2013 by SCAFoundation SCA News Case illustrates the need for immediate bystander action when sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the critical importance of CPR, and the need for improved public access to defibrillators PITTSBURGH--Sue Hostler arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport on August 22 to catch a flight home to Pittsburgh, PA. A frequent business traveler, she knew her way around the airport and ran to get on an elevator in a remote area of the F terminal, which is used for commuter flights. A young man entered the elevator just before her, but the doors closed before she could join him. When she hit the “up” button and the doors reopened, she was stunned by what she saw. There he was, face down, not moving. Without hesitation, Sue started digging in her purse for her cell phone to call 9-1-1, thinking maybe he had suffered a seizure. It was 3:04 pm. Then she flagged down a young woman just outside the elevator and asked her to run for help. With eyes like “deer in the headlights,” run she did, never to return. The dispatcher asked if the man was breathing. “No,” Sue answered, adding that he was unconscious. She asked if she should initiate CPR and the dispatcher said, “Yes.” As she put the phone on speaker mode, Vivian Nolan, from Unadilla, NY came by. Recognizing that something was wrong, she offered to help. Working together, the two women turned the young man over. “He was tall,” said Vivian. “Laying diagonally, he took up the whole elevator. He was well-dressed, with a suit, tie and dress shoes. He was obviously a fit individual, too—not someone you would ever expect to go into cardiac arrest—but I could see his palms were quickly turning gray.” Sue immediately started CPR, a lifesaving technique she had learned long ago, but never thought she would be called upon to use. She tilted the young man’s head back to open his airway and was going to start mouth-to-mouth breathing. Then she remembered she had heard that continuous chest compressions—or “hands only CPR,” without artificial respirations—can be just as beneficial. So she began to push on the center of the victim’s chest, following the dispatcher’s guidance to compress twice a second. At first Sue counted out loud as instructed, but she soon realized she needed all of her strength to do compressions. Pushing hard and fast on the center of the chest for any length of time can be exhausting and she was getting out of breath. “I was confident that I had the right cadence and was doing CPR correctly,” she said. So she kept giving rhythmic compressions, waiting for professional help to arrive and repeatedly giving instructions to the dispatcher regarding the precise location of the incident that was unfolding. Every now and then, she thought she heard the young man gasp—almost like a snoring sound—but she quickly realized he wasn’t breathing on his own. Rather, this was abnormal breathing, known as agonal respirations, which often herald death. Meanwhile, Vivian kept onlookers at bay, staking out a post near the curb to guide emergency personnel to the scene. “I kept looking for the police or EMTs and asking people to use the stairs since there was a medical emergency in the elevator,” she said. During this time, about a dozen people passed by, she said. Not one offered to help. Before her retirement, Vivian was a frequent business traveler herself and so she was also familiar with the layout of the terminal. “I knew Sue was giving perfect directions and all I could think was, ‘God, what is taking them so long?’ Shouldn’t someone have noticed the elevator wasn’t going anywhere? Shouldn’t there be a number by the elevator that could be easily identified by security?” Throughout it all, Sue remained stoic and resolute. “She was so calm, so in control,” said Vivian. “They’re coming,” she would say. “Keep on watching.” After “what seemed like forever,” a police officer arrived and asked how he could help. With that, Sue realized that she was still the young man’s best hope. “I kept calm—because I know this is important—but I was getting frustrated. I raised my voice and said, ‘Get the EMTs here now or this man is going to die.’” 17 Minutes Till Professional Help Arrived An emergency medical crew finally arrived at 3:21 pm, exactly 17 minutes after Sue first placed the 9-1-1 call. She estimates that she provided CPR for at least 15 of those critical minutes. “One of the EMTs grabbed what they called ‘the box’ (a defibrillator), and I led them to the elevator,” said Vivian.” I think they shocked him twice before getting him on the gurney.” As the ambulance pulled away, Sue and Vivian—complete strangers with a nascent bond—shared an emotional hug. They vowed to keep in touch. A Birthday Gift to Remember Sue had asked emergency personnel to give the family her contact information—she was anxious to know whether the young man would make it. She heard from his mother, Mary Hallinan, the next day. Robert Hallinan, “Bob,” a 25-year-old from Broomall, PA, with no known health issues, was alive and on life-support. He had been transferred from nearby Methodist Hospital to Thomas Jefferson Hospital in the city. Mary could not have been more grateful to Sue for saving her son’s life. The day Bob nearly died was her birthday. He had sent her a Facebook message just minutes before he collapsed. Sue heard from Mary again a few weeks later. Bob had undergone mild therapeutic hypothermia and was in a medically induced coma for five or six days. His doctor recommended that he receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to protect him from future life-threatening events. Bob was reluctant at first, but ultimately agreed to the surgery. On September 5, 14 days after he suffered cardiac arrest, Bob was discharged home from the hospital, neurologically intact. “He’s eating and texting,” said Mary. “Things are getting back to normal.” What Went Wrong Needless to say, this was not an ideal response to sudden cardiac arrest. “It was disturbing to me that the 9-1-1 operator could not identify our location, despite my stating numerous times exactly where we were,” said Sue. “At a major airport, there must have been a multitude of emergency vehicles on the premises. I later discovered there are about 100 AEDs (automated external defibrillators) at the airport. If the dispatcher had told me where the closest one was, I could have asked someone to retrieve it while I continued compressions.” “I would have gladly run to retrieve the nearest defibrillator,” said Vivian, “if I had only known one was available. I am not trained, but I am pretty sure I could have figured out how to use it.” As for the people who passed by without offering to help, perhaps they did not realize what was happening, perhaps they were anxious about catching a flight, or perhaps they were just plain scared. Unfortunately, no one thought to look for a public access defibrillator and bring it back to the scene. “I only wish there were more people who would want to help in emergencies,” said Vivian. What Went Right When Sue is not working on her day job—biomedical sales and marketing—she enjoys her hobby as a pilot of Cessnas and seaplanes. This background may have contributed to her expert handling of Bob’s medical emergency. Pilots are trained to remain calm in life-threatening emergencies and Sue has had to deal with in-flight emergencies in the past. “That young man is very lucky that Sue is the kind of person that she is,” said Vivian. Sue credits Vivian for her important role, too. “Vivian is a kind and compassionate person. I don’t know how things would have turned out if she hadn’t stopped to help out.” It was fortuitous that Vivian was there at all. She had arrived at the airport earlier that afternoon and was waiting to meet her sister whose flight had been delayed. They planned to attend a multiple myeloma conference for patients and caregivers. Vivian says her experience as a cancer patient has helped her to grow in empathy for others. “People often say they are sorry for what I am going through, but this experience was a real eye-opener. I may have cancer, but at least I know what I am dealing with. There are so many people walking around who don’t even know they have a serious heart condition and could become the next victim of sudden cardiac arrest.” Just Do Something Sue and Vivian hope their experience will help raise awareness about the fact that sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone of any age at any time—and it’s up to the public to make a difference in saving more lives. First and foremost, they say, learn CPR and how to use an AED. “In all honesty, CPR is something everyone should know,” said Vivian. Next, they say, if you should ever encounter someone in cardiac arrest, just do something. “Don’t be afraid to try CPR,” said Sue. “When someone suffers sudden cardiac arrest, let’s face it: they’re dead. Your actions can only help. So do something!” Even if you don’t actually care for the patient, you can still help, said Sue. “You may not feel comfortable doing CPR, but you can call 9-1-1, you can run for the AED, you can flag down emergency responders, you can keep people who just want to watch out of the way. All these actions are just as important as giving CPR.” Deciding to help was the only option Sue ever considered. “I knew that the young man would die if I did nothing.” Make it Easy for the Public to Find and Use AEDs Sue also has a message for communities and government agencies. First, she says, “AEDs should be everywhere.” Second, labels warning that AEDs are “for use by trained personnel only” should be removed, she said. Third, the public should be reassured that immediate bystander intervention in cardiac emergencies is essential, and further, that good faith efforts to help are protected by Good Samaritan legislation. What’s Next? According to Mary, Bob is now doing well. He cannot drive for the next six months due to his ICD surgery, which is a hardship because he is an executive limousine driver. “He is one of a few drivers qualified to drive celebrities to their destinations,” she said. “Yet in many ways, his life has changed for the better.” Mary, who is a nurse-paramedic, and Bob, who once worked as an emergency medical technician, are no strangers to cardiac arrest, having been involved in efforts to save other lives. Understanding the odds against survival makes them all the more appreciative. In their view, Sue is truly a hero. “I cannot thank Sue enough,” said Mary. “She’s my guardian angel,” said Bob. A Reluctant Hero Sue has been asked if she thinks of herself as a hero. “Absolutely not,” she says. “Heroes are people who risk their lives for others—people like the 9-11 first responders. The only thing I risked that day was missing my flight.” So…about that flight. The passengers heading to Sue’s destination had boarded, but due to a sudden thunderstorm, the flight was delayed. As a result, Sue was able to make her flight after all. And as she approached her destination, she was greeted by a giant rainbow. -By Mary M. Newman, MS SOURCE: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 14:03:18 +0000
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