RAA held the agency’s third CPR Save Pin presentation ceremony of the year on Wednesday, September 16 and our sixth ceremony since beginning the initiative last year. Since then, 31 first responders have been awarded CPR Life Save Pins and six have been awarded twice. RAA recognized one of our crews and Richmond Fire Department’s Engine 22 for a call in which they performed CPR and saved a patient, who was discharged from the hospital with no neurological deficit.
Each year, more than 350,000 people in the United States experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside of a hospital setting. Of those, only about 35,000 survive to hospital discharge, and far too many carry the lasting impact of neurological impairment.
RAA’s Chief Operating Officer Ryan Martinette spoke about how rare a feat it is to save the life of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest and described the heroic actions of the crews:
RAA
Devon Robinson (Paramedic)*
Molly Ambrosio (EMT)
Christian Thomsen (AEMT)*
RFD
Lt. Jared Martin
FF Kyle Bohannon
FF Ethan Addington
FF Jeffrey D’Albero
In addition, a member who was unable to attend but was also involved in the lifesaving call was:
Blake Vanderkolk (Chase Paramedic)*
RAA welcomed our partners at the American Heart Association – Virginia, HCA Virginia Health System’s Chippenham Hospital and Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists as representatives of each organization were in attendance to support our first responders.
*Signifies a provider’s second CPR Save Pin
