By George Kelly
Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, California)
Copyright 2006 Contra Costa Times
CONCORD, Calif. — An apartment fire Saturday night may have led to the first time that a husband-and-wife firefighter-paramedic pair rescued and resuscitated a man, a Contra Costa Fire Protection District battalion chief said.
“As far as I know, this is the first time in Contra Costa County Fire history that a husband and wife who were both paramedics have teamed up while on duty to save a citizen’s life who was in cardiac arrest,” Contra Costa fire Battalion Chief Dave George said.
Fire captain paramedic Vince Wells and engineer paramedic Joy Wells were among firefighters who responded to an apartment fire in the 1800 block of Laguna Street at 10:49 p.m. Saturday, George said.
After Concord police had kicked in the smoke- and fire-filled apartment’s front door, two firefighters in breathing equipment found and carried out an unconscious 50-year-old man in the bedroom.
Joy Wells saw the man had no pulse, was not breathing, had soot around his face and was not burned. She had just begun CPR when Vince Wells arrived with another unit, came over to the patient and helped position a tube to begin rescue breathing.
The man regained a pulse, and other medics helped the Wellses treat him with IV’s and cardiac monitoring. Vince Wells boarded an arriving ambulance with another medic and kept treating the man, who started breathing on his own on the way to the hospital. He was in an intensive care unit with “a very good chance of recovery,” George said Sunday night.
The fire took 15 minutes to put out, and the cause is under investigation.
The Wellses took their successful rescue in stride.
“You know it always helps to have a good working relationship with your crew members ... especially if you are married to them,” Joy Wells said.
Hearing her remark, Vince Wells laughed.
“You know even though I outrank her, she still seems to be in charge,” he said.