Like a first kiss, you always remember your first save. We asked our readers to share their first-save stories and compiled this collection of inspiring, amusing and heart-wrenching tales.
We now invite you to join in by adding your own story in the comment section below.
1. “My first was a 9-year-old boy that we pulled from a pond. He had no pulse and was not breathing. By the time the flight landed, we got a pulse back. Two weeks later, the boy’s father walked into the fire department with his son. He made a full recovery with no brain damage.” — Dave Hensel
2. “I was the only medical person on-site with a guy who fell 25 feet and cracked his head on ice. It was 40 minutes until the ambulance got there, and then another 50 minutes until STARS showed up! Just a little stressful! He had lock jaw and facial trauma. I was basically O2 support, but he made it.” — Brittany Clarke
3. “I saved an 18-year-old female in a trauma code. The passenger died, and eight months later after rehab she thanked me and my partner personally. I had three trauma codes during that 24-hour shift due to bad weather, and saved one. I will never forget that night.” — Mel Parker
4. “A 75-year-old fell and had a laceration on the forehead. It turned out to be bleeding on the brain. We were 15 minutes from the hospital with no back up. I had to ventilate him and he had multiple seizures. We kept him alive until we reached the hospital. I was only qualified a few days.” — Chantall Naudé
5. “I was not even an EMT yet. The patient said he was hovering over me watching me do CPR. He recognized me the second I came into his CCU Room. I was a “lowly medical assistant” going home from the clinic. He threw up all over my face. Now I am an EMT/EMS Evaluator here in Washington State.” — Paul Edward Morris
6. “ My first save actually came as a respiratory therapist before I got into EMS. It was a 6-year-old female near drown. I’d just gotten home from work and the kids came running into the apartment telling me about it and asking for my help. I got there and the aunt was on the phone with 911 and I started CPR. She was breathing and crying when the fire department arrived. She had a complete recovery.” — Deanna Ferlito
7. “It was about two years ago — a cardiac arrest. I don’t really take credit for it though, because it was really his wife that gave him the best outcome by performing CPR before we got there.” — Heather Leah Maggi