Full Notification

Shortly after 11:00 p.m. on December 1, 2014, Mr. Peter Shepard called 9-1-1 to report that he was having a medical emergency. Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor Chris Neuhauser took the call and quickly determined that Mr. Shepard might be suffering from a heart condition. After dispatching Santa Barbara City Fire Engine #4 she kept Mr. Shepard on the phone and went through the Emergency Medical Dispatch protocol with him. SBFD Engine #4 and American Medical Response paramedics made it there quickly. At that point Mr. Shepard collapsed and went into full cardiac arrest. Captain Brad Waters, Engineer Paul Spinale, Firefighter Patrick Irey, and medics from AMR initiated CPR and defibrillated Mr. Shepard. He was revived and transported to Cottage Hospital where he was treated by Dr. Jason Prystowsky, the ER Physician who is also the Santa Barbara City Fire Medical Director. Four days later Mr. Shepard walked out of the hospital.

Mr. Shepard graciously attended a Fire Department medical training where he was able to meet several of the professionals involved in his survival. Pictured are (L-R) Dr. Prystowsky, PSDS Chris Neuhauser, Peter Shepard and Fire Captain Brad Waters.

The Santa Barbara City Emergency Medical protocols are designed to provide this chain of survival starting with the Public Safety Dispatcher trained in Emergency Medical Dispatching through the intervention of highly trained Santa Barbara City Firefighters, AMR paramedics, and Cottage Hospital Emergency staff.

The missing link in this chain of survival is you. You can be the first person to identify a life threatening condition and provide those very first critical lifesaving minutes by becoming trained in CPR and First Aid. CPR/First Aid classes are offered throughout the year. Go to the American Heart Association website at www.heart.org or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.com.