A 50-year old man went into cardiac arrest but saved with prompt delivery of CPR. Todd France might have missed on his chance to score during a breakaway early in the game at the Dorval Oldtimers hockey tournament but won a bigger battle just minutes into the 2nd period.
Saving a life with CPR
As he was leaving the ice after a 45-second shift, he collapsed by the boards near the bend. Linemate Chris Ebsworth who has been France’s friend for 30 years was beside him when he collapsed as well as the referee Eric Dewar. Luckily, Dewar is the director of the Pointe-Claire Volunteer Rescue Unit (PCVRU). The rescue unit volunteers were trained to be the first responders in crisis situations.
When France collapsed, his eyes were closed and his face turned gray. Ebsworth knows how to perform CPR but he stepped back when Dewar took command. Dewar quickly shouted for the defibrillator. As he ripped off France’s equipment on the ice to bare his chest, the PCVRU workers arrived with the device.
In just a minute of his collapse, his heart was shocked back into action and Dewar was performing CPR which is protocol in such cases. By the time the ambulance arrived, France was awake and teasing his worried teammates.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a first aid and CPR class and for more information, check out these sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation