"Fallen Bicycle Seems Serious"... Public Official Couple Saves Cardiac Arrest Patient

Firefighter and Education Official Couple Save Cardiac Arrest Patient
Man Collapses While Riding Bicycle at Busan Gaejwagogae
Passing by in Car, "Something's Wrong, Let's Go Back"

The good deed of a firefighter who saved the life of a cardiac arrest patient thanks to his spouse's keen observation was reported belatedly. According to the Busan Fire Headquarters on the 27th, Lee Young-cheol, a chief officer belonging to the Busan Gijang Fire Station, and his wife Jeong Jun-hee discovered a single bicycle wheel protruding through the bushes while driving past Gaejwa Hill in Geumjeong-gu at around 1:05 p.m. on the 16th.

A bicycle peeking out through the bushes. [Image source=JTBC news screen capture]

At the time, Officer Lee was off duty, and his wife Jeong was on parental leave, so it was a day off for the couple. Officer Lee thought the cyclist was resting and initially passed by. This area usually has many people traveling by bicycle. Then, Mrs. Jeong said, "This seems a bit strange. Let's go back just in case," and the couple turned the car around and headed toward the bicycle.

However, when the couple arrived at the scene, a man in his 50s was lying next to a mountain bike. The man showed no signs of breathing, pulse, or pain response. Officer Lee told JTBC, "His eyes were open, but there was no pupil reaction, and he did not respond to pain."

While Assistant Manager Lee Young-cheol is performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the 119 emergency medical team is arriving. [Image provided by Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters]

Officer Lee immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and Mrs. Jeong called 119 emergency services. The 119 paramedics arrived within 7 minutes and quickly transported the man to the hospital. The man underwent surgery at the hospital and survived. He is currently recovering in a general ward. The man's family expressed their gratitude to the couple for saving his life.

Officer Lee said, "I felt good that I could help someone on my day off like this." He also added, "CPR is a very important emergency procedure that can save lives. It is a relatively simple emergency technique that anyone can easily perform after one or two training sessions, so it would be good to learn it at fire stations or 119 safety experience centers."