Off-Duty Firefighters Watching Badminton Match Save Man in His 40s Who Collapsed from Cardiac Arrest

Immediate CPR Performed After Man Was Found Collapsed

In a gym in Jeju, an off-duty firefighter, a member of the volunteer fire brigade, and paramedics saved the life of a man in his 40s who had collapsed, thanks to their swift response.

Ko Migyeong, deputy commander of the volunteer fire brigade (left), and Ko Eunhye, fire sergeant, who saved a cardiac arrest patient at a gym on Jeju Island. Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News and the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters on the 10th, a 119 emergency call was received on the afternoon of the 7th reporting that a man in his 40s, who had been resting after finishing a badminton tournament match, had suddenly collapsed from cardiac arrest.

At the gym at the time were a firefighter, a volunteer firefighter, and an emergency medical worker who had been watching the game. Immediately after discovering the collapsed man, they divided up roles and began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The 119 Emergency Medical Dispatch Center that received the call provided instructions over the phone to continue CPR. On site, chest compressions and defibrillation using an automated external defibrillator (AED) were administered, and fortunately, the patient’s heart, which had stopped, began beating again before the ambulance arrived.

The patient was then transported to a hospital and is reported to have recovered his health.

The Fire Safety Headquarters told Yonhap News, "This rescue case is highly significant in that people on the scene, including paramedic Ko Eunhye from the Ido 119 Center and deputy commander Ko Mikyung from the Ara Women’s Volunteer Fire Brigade, worked together to protect the golden time."

Fire Sergeant Ko Eunhye, a former paramedic, has been serving as a paramedic since her appointment in 2018 and is regarded as a veteran paramedic who has built up emergency care capabilities in the field.

Deputy commander Ko Mikyung, who performed CPR with her, has also consistently taken part in CPR training and is currently active as a CPR instructor. She even took first place in the CPR category at the 2019 National Volunteer Fire Brigade Competition.