Citizen Collapsed from Cardiac Arrest on Main Road Rescued by Pump Ambulance
Fire Pump Truck Equipped with Emergency Gear Performs Ambulance Role to Cover EMS Gap
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 21st that on January 12th, a cardiac arrest patient was reported in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, and the local Pumbulance was dispatched to revive the patient with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
According to the Seodaemun Fire Station, a report of a cardiac arrest patient was received around 9:07 PM on the 12th of last month on the main road in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu. At that time, all nearby ambulances in Yeonhui-dong had been dispatched to other calls, so the Seodaemun Fire Station’s on-site response team’s Pumbulance had no choice but to respond.
The Pumbulance is a portmanteau of Pump (fire pump truck) and Ambulance. It is a dispatch system that supplements ambulance dispatches during ambulance shortages by placing firefighters qualified as emergency medical technicians on fire pump trucks responsible for fire suppression, equipped with emergency medical equipment such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Upon arrival at the scene, the four Pumbulance crew members, including Fire Lieutenant Lee Geun-se, immediately confirmed that the patient was in cardiac arrest with no breathing and no pulse. The crew promptly performed CPR using chest compressions and an AED, and fortunately, they confirmed the patient’s pulse gradually returning. This occurred just 3 minutes and 20 seconds after arrival at the scene.
The contribution of citizens who assisted at the scene was also significant. Witnessing the collapsed patient, citizens immediately called 119, covered the patient with their outerwear despite the cold weather, and massaged the patient’s limbs, not ignoring the emergency even during the COVID-19 era. Subsequently, the 119 ambulance team that arrived later provided emergency treatment and quickly transported the patient to the hospital. The rescued patient, a person in their 50s, was reported to have no special underlying diseases and is currently recovering health at home after improvement.
Fire Lieutenant Lee Geun-se, who was dispatched to the scene, said, “The ambulance teams I work with have become very busy due to COVID-19,” and added, “I feel proud to have saved a precious citizen’s life through the Pumbulance dispatch.”
Meanwhile, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters operates a total of 119 Pumbulances to prepare for gaps in 119 ambulance dispatches. They responded to 927 emergency calls in 2020 and 1,042 in 2021. Due to the increase in the number of dispatches and on-site activity time of 119 ambulance teams caused by the spread of COVID-19, there have been temporary shortages of available 119 ambulance teams, and the Pumbulance has been evaluated as an effective alternative in such situations.
Kim Kyung-geun, Chief of Seodaemun Fire Station, stated, “Thanks to the quick response of the crew and the cooperation of citizens, we were able to save a precious citizen’s life,” and urged, “In preparation for any possible emergencies, all citizens should familiarize themselves with CPR techniques and the use of AEDs.”
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