Kan. first responders honored for saving baby in cardiac emergency

By Eduardo Castillo
The Wichita Eagle

WICHITA, Kan. — It was just like any other call in his 35 years with the Wichita Fire Department , WFD Station 5 captain Lance Diffenbaugh said.

He and his crew responded to a “not breathing” call about 9:30 p.m. on March 11 at a hometwo blocks away from the station, which sits at 3102 E 2nd St N., just west of College Hill.

“We found a baby that was not breathing, and some parents that were completely distraught,” he said Tuesday at Station 5. The parents “were trying to give CPR over the telephone from Sedgwick County Dispatch .”

The parents had just returned from dinner and their 12-day-old son was in the back seat. They noticed he didn’t look right and rushed him inside. He started to turn blue, and they called 911.

“We realized that the airway was compromised, so these guys [EMT’s] went quickly to work and started suctioning both the mouth and nose diligently as fast as they could.”

They resuscitated the boy and continued life-saving measures. He was taken to Wesley Medical Center where he made a full recovery.

On Tuesday, Wichita Fire Station 5 and Sedgwick County EMS were recognized for their actions.

“We do this all the time and we’re so thankful that we had a good outcome,” Diffenbaugh said. “But what was so sensitive to this crew at the time was every one of these guys’ [Station 5 firefighters] wives are pregnant, so they were like, ‘I need to make sure I do this completely perfect’.”

Wesley Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Lowell Ebersole and other Wesley staff presented the crew and EMS with Code Blue Save Challenge Coins, The coins are awarded to first responders and medical personnel who successfully resuscitate a patient experiencing cardiac arrest before transferring them to the hospital.

“Responding to critical patients is always challenging, but when that patient is an infant, the emotional and clinical demands rise to a whole new level,” Ebersole said. “These situations require rapid decision making, calm under pressure and seamless team work.”

“Thank you for your unwavering commitment to saving lives,” Ebersole added.

Diffenbaugh said the baby and his parents have stopped by the fire station to let the crew know he made a full recovery.

“That’s why we’re here, that’s why we exist, is to go help people.”

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