By News Staff
MILLE LACS, Minn. — A group of firefighters who were on an ice fishing trip saved a man in cardiac arrest.
KARE 11 reported that firefighters Joe Halaska and Adam Benson were on the trip with Halaska’s father, retired firefighter Mike Halaska, when they stopped at a resort to grab some food and drinks.
“We looked over to our left and there was some commotion going on and we saw a guy slumped in his chair,” Joe said.
Dale Meyer, 68, had been snowplowing the lake for part of the day and collapsed without a pulse.
The three first responders jumped into action and took turns performing CPR on Meyer for 10 minutes.
“I was on one side, and Adam was on the other side, so if one of us got tired with the compressions we could easily just switch off,” Joe said. “There’s a definite feel for each other and we just jumped right into it. We really didn’t need to communicate with each other a whole lot.”
Meyer then opened his eyes and began to speak.
“It was pretty shocking that he started to talk to us,” Benson said.
The firefighters said it was lucky that they were in the right place at the right time.
“You know, what are the odds we’re up there that same night that he’s there?” Joe said.
Meyers is now at home recovering, and his family said Atrial fibrillation likely caused his cardiac arrest.
“It’s one of the most memorable weekends I’ve had in a long time and couldn’t have spent it with two better guys,” Benson said.