S.C. State Basketball Player Collapses in Cardiac Arrest, Wake County EMS on Scene

Paramedics Greg Rodevick and Rich Eldridge got themselves and their equipment in place at Raleigh’s PNC Arena on Saturday December 2, with a simple plan of having a Chick-Fil-A sandwich and standing by courtside for EMS coverage at the N.C. State Wolfpack men’s basketball game as they hosted the South Carolina State Bulldogs.  Things changed quickly.  Not long into the game, they were called over for an N.C. State player with an apparent knee injury.  As they approached, determining if they would need to bring their stretcher over, they were interrupted by commotion over on the South Carolina State bench.  They were quickly diverted from the knee injury to what was obviously a critical emergency. What may have appeared on the surface to be chaos at the bench was actually an outstanding example of what should happen anytime someone collapses and goes unresponsive. South Carolina State Athletic Trainer Tyler Long was immediately down and providing hard, fast, uninterrupted chest compressions on this lifeless basketball player who had just stopped breathing. N.C. State keeps an AED at the bench, and S.C. State staff had grabbed it and were getting it applied. Greg and Rich worked in and began leading care. A shock was delivered by the AED, but pulses weren't immediately detectable afterward, and compressions were continued.  Within a few moments, they were able to find a pulse as they switched over to the EMS heart monitor.  Not long after, the ...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Patient Care Cardiac & Resuscitation News Source Type: news