When Fred Fredrickson led the charge to install an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the Alberni Golf Course, little did he know the decision would save a lifeB次元官网网址攈is own.
A machine is only as good as the humans who operate it, and in the instant that Fredrickson needed an AED two years ago, after his heart stopped in the middle of a round of golf, two people came to his rescue. On Sept. 29, 2022, Ed Francoeur and Tyler Ruel of Port Alberni received Vital Links awards from B.C. Emergency Health Services for their efforts.
Vital Link awards honour skillful bystanders who happen to witness an event and start lifesaving CPR, whether an AED is present or not.
Fredrickson was golfing on the sixth hole on Sept. 13, 2020 when he suddenly collapsed. Francoeur was in the next group of golfers and saw Fredrickson go down. A retired firefighter, Francoeur could tell Fredrickson was in cardiac arrest: he ran for Fredrickson and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while someone else called 911.
Ruel was playing a round of golf with friends during a day off from his job as a firefighter with Port Alberni Fire Department. He was on the third hole when he saw someone on the nearby green holding their head B次元官网网址渓ike they were waiting.B次元官网网址� He heard someone say a person was doing chest compressions on a golfer. B次元官网网址淚 ran from my location to where Fred was on the sixth hole. One of the members was driving out an AED from the clubhouse.B次元官网网址�
Ruel grabbed the AED and hooked it up to FredricksonB次元官网网址檚 chest while Francoeur continued with chest compressions.
B次元官网网址淲e were able to shock him and continue with CPR until we got a pulse back,B次元官网网址� Ruel said.
Fredrickson regained consciousness sometime after paramedics arrived.
B次元官网网址淲hen we arrived back on scene Fred had a pulseB次元官网网址e chatted with me on the way to the hospital,B次元官网网址� said Deb Roberts, one of three paramedics who responded to the golf club after FredricksonB次元官网网址檚 collapse. Roberts was one of several BCEHS paramedics at the Alberni Golf Club to present Vital Link awards to Francoeur and Ruel.
B次元官网网址淚t was pretty traumatic,B次元官网网址� Fredrickson said. B次元官网网址淭hank goodness people like that were around. IB次元官网网址檝e said thank you so many times and I say it again.B次元官网网址�
Fredrickson said he was B次元官网网址渁 first aid guyB次元官网网址� all his life, but he never picked up on the fact he was about to have a heart attack. He said a cardiologist at the hospital in Victoria B次元官网网址渢old me it was phenomenal odds that I made it.B次元官网网址�
He said after receiving treatment in Victoria he noticed he felt better in a number of ways: B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 get cold feet anymore. Simple things like that.B次元官网网址�
This presentation was also special for Roberts. B次元官网网址淲e very rarely as paramedics get an opportunity to reunite with our patients,B次元官网网址� she said.
Many aspects of FredricksonB次元官网网址檚 rescue seemed to have aligned: Francoeur is a retired firefighter; Ruel was his replacement at the Port Alberni Fire Department. Forty years ago, Francoeur used to teach CPR at North Island College; when he saw Fredrickson collapse, his training kicked in. Operation of an AED is part of RuelB次元官网网址檚 regular recurrency training at the firehall.
The AED came about after a Zone 6 golf team won a tournament a few years ago. B次元官网网址淲e have to donate the (winnings) somewhere involving golf, so I suggested they put in an AED, and they did,B次元官网网址� Fredrickson explained.
Several club members chipped in the rest of the cost, and two volunteers make sure the AED is serviced regularly.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e very simple these days,B次元官网网址� noted Ruel. B次元官网网址淭hey walk you through step by step for the public. You definitely shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be afraid to use it.B次元官网网址�
