Several career members and a volunteer member of the Libertytown Volunteer Fire Department were recently recognized for their actions of excellent patient care for an individual in cardiac arrest that resulted in the patient surviving to live another day. On January 23, 2023, Emergency Communications received a call for a patient unconscious and not breathing. The call information was immediately transferred to dispatch while the call taker remained on the line to initiate Cardiac Arrest protocols. The caller was advised to remove the patient from the chair and received instructions to begin CPR utilizing the compression monitor tool in ProQA.

Hearing the dispatch of a cardiac arrest near his house, Lt. Brandon Seyfried, a volunteer with the Libertytown Volunteer Fire Department, responded directly to the incident at a residence approximately 1 mile away from his house in his personal vehicle. Lt. Seyfried took over CPR from the caller and performed high performance CPR until the arrival of units from Station 17, Libertytown. Arriving units took over CPR from Lt. Seyfried and implemented additional life saving measures. Medic 17 defibrillated the patient 3 times and administered ACLS medications. The paramedic advised Frederik Health Hospital the patient was having a myocardial infarction and activate code heart.

The patient arrived at Frederick Health Hospital with a pulse and spontaneous respirations and was immediately treated before being transferred to another hospital for cardiac rehab.

The fast activation of the 911 system, instructions to the caller from the Emergency Communications Specialists, rapid arrival of a member of the Libertytown Volunteer Fire Department and continuation of care by the crews of A179, E172 and Medic 17 all contributed to the successful save of a life. For these actions the personnel noted below received the Recognition of EMS Excellence from Chief Tom Coe, Chief of the Division of Fire/Rescue Services..

Pictured with Chief Tom Coe and the command staff of the Division of Fire/Rescue Services and Emergency Communications are the crew of Engine 172: Captain Robert Freeman, Technician Jesse Gibson, Firefighter Thomas Bowrin; Ambulance 179: Firefighter Kenneth Bohn and Firefighter Brian Martin ; Medic 17: Firefighter/Paramedic Mark Danko, EMS 902: Lieutenant/Paramedic Jesse McKittrick; 911 Dispatcher: and ECS II Jacob Dmuchowski. Not shown in the picture is Lieutenant Brandon Seyfried who responded directly to the scene in his private vehicle.