Press Release
On Monday, April 5, 1999 the Rice University Police Department Dispatcher received an emergency call at 17:48 from the School of Music reporting that a professor with a cardiac history collapsed. Rice EMS (REMS) was dispatched at that time both over the air, and by alphanumeric pager. At 17:49 the Houston Fire Department was notified by the Rice dispatch of a cardiac pt. at the Music School. Also at 17:49, The REMS supervisor arrived (about a 30-45 second response time) on scene, with CPR in progress by bystanders. At that time the EMS Supervisor re-evaluated the patient who was found to be pulseless. The Supervisor attached the Lifepak 300 SAED to the patient and set up a BVM with O2 while CPR was continued by a pediatrician on scene and a RUPD Corporal.
Additional EMS units arrived at 17:51 and the patients rhythm analyzed. The patient was found to be in V-Fib, and shocked once at 200J into PEA. CPR was continued for approx. 20-30 seconds and the patient regained a pulse, respirations, and a very nice BP at approx. 17:53. Finally, an HFD engine arrived on scene at 18:01, a basic ambulance with ALS supervisor at 18:04, and the medic unit around 18:15. REMS continued pt. care until the pt. was transported at 18:24. The patient is presently in the CCU awake, alert, and with little or no neurological damage.
Follow-up: As of April 8, 1999 the patient was out of the ICU and had an internal defibrillator implanted. Otherwise he is doing well and feeling great with no neurological deficits.
Commentary from the author, Mark Escott of Rice EMS:
We hope this serves as a reminder of the importance of community CPR education, the absolute necessity of an AED on campus, and the extreme value of campus based EMS providers. You all know that the pt's chance of survival decreases by 7-10% for every minute that passess between the arrest and defibrillation. The municipal services most of the time, are just not able to make it in time--in this case, 13 minutes-you do the math. Our response time 45 seconds--ask your administrators which one they would like to have when one of their faculty collapses.
