Woman's Life Saved with CPR - Lessons for All

On Sunday, May 3 at 1:07am, when Carolyn Haines experienced experienced sudden cardiac arrest, her husband Rob knew exactly what to do. He called 911 and started CPR. What transpired on in London Grove feels like a miracle, but actually was the result of a well-trained family member combined with a strong emergency response system. And Carolyn is alive and well, and telling her story.

In good health at 59 years old, Carolyn will tell you that she is the last person you might see as at risk for sudden heart failure. She wants her story told because she thinks there are lessons learned in her case that might benefit many more people in the community. Carolyn works in health care and her husband was a former EMT trained and experienced in CPR. When she collapsed suddenly, her husband put those CPR skills to work.

Minutes later, EMTs and firefighters from the West Grove Company arrived to assist, along with paramedics from Medic 94. That team of responders worked quickly to put their EMS skills to work. Their success in delivering Carolyn alive to the hospital was made possible by those first few minutes of CPR done by her husband. Research shows time and time again that early CPR makes the life and death difference for victims of sudden cardiac arrest...such was the case that morning.

Carolyn, who is home recovering and doing well, says there are two very important lessons she wanted to share with everyone. First, and most importantly, everyone in your family or workplace should know CPR. The simple training may make difference for a co-worker or loved one -- it certainly did in her case. Training is available and she encourages everyone to get these life-saving skills. Second, as a health care worker and cardiac arrest survivor, she wants women to know that the signs and symptoms for women are often much different than for men. While men often experience crush chest pain, or pain in the arms or underarm, women often experience different signs - in her case: pain in her back between her shoulders and an uneasy feeling. She urges women to seek help for unusual symptoms and recognize that it may feel very different than expected.

We applaud Carolyn for having the courage to tell her story. We also applaud the emergency services team that came together to help save her life that morning -- from the emergency call takes and dispatchers in the Chester County 911 Center, to the paramedics responding on Medic 94, and, certainly, to the West Grove crew who were there to take over from Carolyn's husband, including: Peter Stauffer and Kathryn Goldhahn on Ambulance 22-2, John Crowley and Leah DiPietro on Ambulance 22-1, Rob Linnenbaugh, Nate Delestienne and Pat Kilroy on Engine 22-1. Carolyn and Rob recently visited the firehouse in West Grove to thank the crews in person.

Congratulations to Carolyn and Rob on this lifesaving outcome and for sharing their story, and the the emergency services first responders who are at the ready whenever an emergency occurs.