On September 23, 2016, the Pentagon’s DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic (DTHC) Emergency Response Team 1 was called to respond to a 911 emergency at the Pentagon Athletic Center (PAC) racquetball courts. Army Sgt. Steven E. Rosberg and Army Spc. David J. Guzman were dispatched to the scene and arrived within two minutes of the 911 call, followed by Air Force Staff Sgt. Tara Wisecup, Army Capt. Jose Mendoza, and PA Sharon M. Henry, who arrived within four minutes of the call with full advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) capability.
On scene, Sgt. Rosberg and Spc. Guzman found a 53 year-old U.S. Air Force member lying on a bench in agonal breathing and immediately moved him down on the ground and checked his pulse. The man was pulseless and had stopped breathing. Sgt. Rosberg immediately started the first set of chest compressions while awaiting placement of the automated external defibrillator (AED) pads. The AED diagnosed the patient and defibrillation was advised; an initial shock was delivered, followed by an immediate second set of chest compressions administered by Sgt. Rosberg. Within minutes, Sgt. Wisecup, Capt. Mendoza, and PA Henry arrived on scene with ALS support, found the patient pulseless, and began the third and fourth set of chest compressions, intravenous line placement, and cardiac monitoring. The patient returned to spontaneous circulation and the team initialized post-resuscitation care in preparation for Arlington EMS transport.
The patient was transported to a higher level of care via Arlington EMS. At this point, the patient was alert and oriented to name, time, and place.
"The mission of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) at the Pentagon reservation is to provide advanced medical emergency services,” said Capt. Mendoza, who was one of the responders on scene at the emergency. “Our ERT teams must be capable of providing exceptional care whether injuries or illness occur inside or outside of this reservation. As the Officer in charge of ERT, exposing my team to high acuity civilian/military means readiness while guiding our military personnel to adapt trauma principles for limited resource environments. It's about developing and maintaining trauma skills in military medical personnel during peacetime. The event that took that took place is one of many examples in which we showcase our capabilities on demand, where our training takes over and muscle memory kicks-in to save someone's life.”
Notably, SGT Rosberg and SPC Guzman made it to the scene (Pentagon Athletic Center) in 1:24 seconds and immediately started CPR. Traversing through different locations within the Pentagon is difficult in itself, but carrying 35 pounds of medical bags at the same time presents a more difficult challenge, and the DTHC medics do it every day as they would do when they are deployed in combat, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, or training missions.
“I feel lucky to be part of such a great team,” said Sgt. Rosberg, another one of the responders who was on scene at the emergency in the Pentagon. “On that day we got to the patient, took charge of the scene and gave him the best chance he could possibly have. That's why we are here. That wouldn't be possible without the outstanding people we have on our Emergency Response Teams for the DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic.”
“In many ways our ERT team is similar to that of combat medics, techs, and corpsman who navigate the battlefield to provide care to our incredible servicemen and women,” said Army Col. Amal Chatila, director of the DTHC. “Strapped with an aid bag with the essential medical supplies needed, and a medical vehicle hot on their heels, our doctors, nurses, and medics are expert land navigators who rush to the scene and begin scene assessment, initial triage, and medical treatment – all within mere seconds. Disposition is established and our outstanding partners in PFPA and Arlington County EMS are equally superb in their coordination of care to higher echelons, if necessary.”
The lifesaving DTHC Emergency Response Team was honored in an award ceremony at the clinic on February 9, 2017.
The patient whose life was saved by the DTHC ERT staff at the Pentagon Athletic Center, Col. John Boudreaux, Chief of the Cyberspace Force Development Division for the U.S. Air Force, had words of thanks for the team members who helped him. “A heartfelt thanks – literally – and my eternal gratitude to the DTHC Emergency Response Team,” said Boudreaux. “They’re my angels – if it hadn’t been for them and their quick call to action and lifesaving skills, I wouldn’t be here today.”
You can follow DiLorenzo TRICARE Health Clinic – Pentagon on Facebook for patient and staff information at: https://www.facebook.com/dthc.pentagon.
| Date Taken: | 02.15.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.15.2017 10:57 |
| Story ID: | 223601 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 196 |
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This work, Pentagon DTHC Clinic Employees Save Life Responding to Cardiac Arrest Patient, by Kristen Long, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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