"Firefighter on Duty Saves Cardiac Arrest Citizen with CPR" ... Use of AEDs in Public Places

Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters: Faster Chest Compression CPR Increases Patient Survival Rate

Staff members are learning emergency first aid techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation at Korea Foreign School in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] It was recently revealed that a firefighter, who was on his way to work, saved the life of a citizen who collapsed from cardiac arrest on a subway platform by performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

According to the Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters on the 16th, Firefighter Song Yong-min, who works as a 119 paramedic at the Mapo Fire Station's field response team, witnessed a group of people trying to wake up a collapsed citizen while he was heading to the platform of Sindorim Station on Subway Line 2 on the morning of the 9th of last month.

When the people around kept talking to the collapsed person saying, "Sir, please come to your senses," and "Try to get up," but there was no response, Firefighter Song sensed something was wrong and immediately approached to check the person's breathing and pulse. The unconscious patient was not breathing and had no pulse.

As usual, Firefighter Song immediately began chest compressions. He asked the station staff to call 119 and simultaneously bring the automated external defibrillator (AED) installed in the public area.

While the station staff was bringing the AED, Firefighter Song continuously performed chest compressions while maintaining the patient's airway, but breathing and pulse were still absent. Only after one use of the AED did the patient's breathing and pulse return. Afterwards, Firefighter Song handed over the patient to the Sindorim 119 paramedics who arrived on the scene.

In cases of cardiac arrest, prompt action by bystanders has a decisive impact on the patient's survival. To supply oxygen to the brain of a cardiac arrest patient, blood must be forcibly circulated through chest compressions. If chest compression CPR is performed within 1 minute, the survival rate is 97%; within 2 minutes, 90%; within 3 minutes, 75%; within 4 minutes, 50%; and within 5 minutes, 25%. The survival rate decreases as time passes.

Additionally, according to the Emergency Medical Service Act revised in June 2009, automated external defibrillators must be mandatorily installed in airports, railway stations, and multi-use facilities.

The Fire & Disaster Headquarters explained that earlier, on the early morning of July 4th at Nowon Station platform and on the morning of July 2nd at Guro Station platform, public facility personnel revived citizens who lost consciousness by using AEDs installed in public places. In Seoul, there were a total of 5 cases of resuscitation using AEDs in public places last year, and 4 cases so far this year.

Meanwhile, the number of patients who received CPR in Seoul over the past three years was 3,942 in 2017, 4,101 in 2018, and 3,975 in 2019. Among them, the number of patients who were revived was 434 (11%) in 2017, 420 (10.2%) in 2018, and 465 (11.7%) in 2019. The Fire & Disaster Headquarters reported that up to September 30th this year, a total of 2,863 cardiac arrest patients were transported, of whom 346 (12.1%) were revived.

Shin Yeol-woo, head of the Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters, said, "We are exploring various methods to increase the survival rate of cardiac arrest patients through video medical guidance, etc.," and urged, "We hope all citizens familiarize themselves with CPR techniques and how to use automated external defibrillators."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.