By Rick Bella
The Oregonian
CLACKAMAS, Ore. — Scott Brawner, a firefighter-paramedic for Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, received an award Monday from a neighboring fire district – and Drew Basse is glad he did.
Brawner received Clackamas Fire District 1’s Citizen Life Saving Award for his quick thinking and decisive actions after Basse suffered sudden cardiac arrest May 9. Basse has since made a full recovery and was present Monday to congratulate Brawner and thank him personally.
Brawner was off duty, working out at a Clackamas-area health club, when his cell phone alerted him that someone had suffered sudden cardiac arrest. Checking his phone, Brawner consulted PulsePoint, a mobile app that relays health-emergency alerts to those trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Brawner then used the map to navigate his way to the parking lot outside the health club, where a security guard had found Basse lying unconscious.
Brawner immediately began hands-only CPR. He kept it up until paramedics from American Medical Response and Clackamas Fire District 1 arrived and took over.
Brawner’s “save” was the first in the Portland area since both Clackamas Fire District 1 and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue began participating in PulsePoint last year. Citizens trained in CPR can sign up to receive emergency notifications.
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©2014 The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.)