A Firefighter Who Said "I'm Fine, I'll Go" Rides Ambulance with Patient... Saves Life by Detecting Acute Myocardial Infarction During Transport

Goesan Fire Station Fire Sergeant Lee Jina and Fire Corporal Kim Seonggwang
Rapid Response to Acute Myocardial Infarction in Ambulance

Firefighters who did not take the warning signs of acute cardiac arrest lightly and responded actively saved the life of a man in his 30s.

According to the Chungbuk Fire Headquarters on the 8th, at around 5:19 p.m. on the 5th, a report was received from employee A (in his 30s) at a cafe in Chojeong-ri, Naesu-eup, Cheongwon-gu, saying, "I have chest pain while eating."

At that time, all nearby ambulance vehicles were in operation, so Fire Sergeant Jina Lee (39) and Fire Corporal Seonggwang Kim (34) from the Cheongan District Unit of the Goesan Fire Station, which was the next closest location, were dispatched.

On the afternoon of the 5th, Fire Sergeant Lee Ji-na (39, left) and Fire Corporal Kim Seong-kwang (34, right) responded to a report of chest pain in Cheongju.
[Photo by Goesan Fire Station]

When they met A at the scene, he appeared to be fine enough to walk and communicate without difficulty.

A reportedly told the dispatched paramedics, "I have no underlying diseases or medications, and the pain has subsided a lot, so I can rest at home," and refused hospital treatment several times.

However, the paramedics, aware that chest pain could be a precursor to serious heart conditions such as a heart attack, did not just turn away.

Despite continued persuasion, A refused to go to the hospital and even signed a refusal of hospital transfer form. Normally, they would have returned at this point, but the sergeant judged that if A’s pain recurred, it could lead to great danger. Eventually, after about 7 more minutes of persuasion, they got him into the ambulance.

While conducting an electrocardiogram test on the way to the hospital, A suddenly suffered an acute myocardial infarction. The paramedics immediately used a defibrillator and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), averting a critical situation.

A received emergency treatment at the hospital and regained consciousness, and is currently recovering in the intensive care unit.

The sergeant said, "I just did what was natural as a paramedic," adding, "Chest pain can lead to serious heart disease, so I usually respond sensitively, but at that time, the patient was working alone in the store without any customers, so I could not leave him alone."

A’s family expressed their gratitude, saying, "We sincerely thank the paramedics who did not take the abnormal signs lightly and never gave up on my brother until the end."

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