"Collapsed While Talking"... Gray-Haired Police Officer on Patrol Saves Worker in Cardiac Arrest

Met a Worker in Cardiac Arrest While Patrolling a Residential Construction Site
Quick and Accurate CPR Saves Life Without Serious Danger

It was belatedly reported that a gray-haired police officer on patrol at a construction site in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, saved a worker who suddenly collapsed by performing CPR.

Team Leader Lee Seoksin of Hwajeong Precinct, Goyang Police Station, checking on a patient. Goyang Police Station

On May 5, Goyang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced that on April 23 at around 3:20 p.m., Team Leader Lee Seoksin of Hwajeong Precinct, along with a team member, was patrolling a residential construction site in Daejang-dong, Deogyang-gu. As he was advising the workers to "work safely without any accidents" and was about to leave, he heard an urgent voice nearby shouting that "someone has collapsed."

Rushing immediately to the spot where people had gathered, Inspector Lee found a worker in his 60s, identified as Mr. A, lying unconscious. Inspector Lee instructed someone to call 119 right away and then ran directly to Mr. A. At that time, Mr. A had no pulse or breathing. Drawing on his extensive experience, Inspector Lee began performing CPR. After repeating chest compressions at a rate of 60 per minute for a total of four cycles, Mr. A's chest started to rise, and soon his breathing resumed.

Shortly afterward, a 119 emergency team arrived at the scene and transported Mr. A to the hospital. Thanks to Inspector Lee's swift and precise first aid, Mr. A was fortunately reported to be out of life-threatening danger. It was determined that Mr. A had suddenly collapsed while talking with others. Inspector Lee said, "Mr. A said he had no underlying conditions, but he refused to be transported to the hospital at the time, so I was worried and visited him again three days later to check on him. He said he had made a hospital appointment, so I was relieved."

Inspector Lee joined the police force in 1990 and is set to retire at the end of this year. He said, "As my team member and I returned to the station, we talked about how Mr. A was truly meant to survive. If we had left the scene even a little earlier, it could have been a disaster. Although I don't have much time left before retirement, I will fulfill my duties to the very end."