Fall River police, firefighters, and paramedics restarted a patient's heart

On Saturday afternoon, Oct. 24, Fall River EMS sent Medic 4, Medic 5, and Squad 12 with Fire Engine 9 and police to a north-end address, the Fall River Reporter wrote, citing the department. The call was for a 64-year-old who was not breathing and had no pulse. Dispatchers confirmed a full cardiac arrest while the units were still on the way. Both ambulances were sent because the address sat between them.

Police got there first, started CPR, put their defibrillator on the patient, and delivered two shocks. Medic 4 and Squad 12 found the patient still in cardiac arrest. After Engine 9 arrived, EMS took over the compressions. Once the patient was on the monitor, the rhythm could still be shocked, and the crew shocked it again. They kept up CPR and advanced care, including medication, until a pulse came back. EMS credited that advanced work. The patient was taken to a local hospital and straight to the cardiac catheterization lab on a STEMI alert. Lieutenant Faria, a paramedic and the Squad 12 shift commander, followed the ambulance. Paramedic Weston and a paramedic student rode with the patient. EMT Bowman was on the Medic 4 crew. The report is the pulse at the scene. It does not name the patient or say what happened after the cath lab.