By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Earlier this spring on the afternoon of May 16, 85-year-old Osoyoos resident Thomas Gee was working out at a local gym, as was his routine, when suddenly he collapsed as a result of a cardiac arrest.
Lucky for him, retired RCMP officer Jody Rausch was exercising on the neighbouring treadmill and saw Gee collapse. Alerting the gym staff to call 911 and while awaiting the arrival of BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), Rausch tapped training from earlier in her career that made the difference between life and death.
With BCEHS emergency medical call taker Mackenzie Johnson providing assistance over the phone, Rausch provided life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Once paramedics arrived they continued providing CPR and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to get circulation and a pulse restored. Gee was then transported to hospital and has made a full recovery.
Todd Kunz, Unit Chief for the Osoyoos BCEHS station speaking at the ceremony.
Don Urquhart photo
Rausch was honoured with a BCEHS Commendation Letter and a BCEHS Similkameen District Challenge Coin in a small ceremony in front of the Osoyoos BCEHS station on August 25. In attendance alongside the BCEHS paramedics was Rausch with visiting family members and Thomas Gee and his family.
Todd Kunz, Unit Chief for the local station expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to hold the event to “recognize the courage, compassion and selfless spirit to help others when life is quite literally on the line.”
Kunz said Rausch’s action gave Gee a chance of survival by acting quickly and courageously. “As paramedics and dispatchers we rarely get an opportunity to reunite with our patients, so it’s definitely an honour,” he noted.
He explained that the commendation letter and challenge coin awarded to Rausch is presented to honour those who go above and beyond their call of duty to provide life saving care, and are normally given out to deserving BCEHS and medical personnel.
He noted that “brave, quick thinking people” who speak with emergency medical call takers by calling 911, performing standard CPR, with or without the use of an AED represent “a vital link to patient survival.” He added that learning CPR is incredibly important, citing the fact 60,000 Canadians suffer cardiac arrests each year, all the more important given the South Okanagan’s aging demographic.
By initiating CPR and using an AED, the chance of survival is increased by up to 50 per cent, Kunz said, adding that for every minute that passes without helping an individual experiencing cardiac arrest their chance of survival drops by 10 per cent.
“While it may seem intimidating to do CPR or apply an AED, it’s very easy to do so, learning CPR is the selfless gift that everyone can give to loved ones and strangers alike,” he said, adding that in an emergency the dispatchers will help people through the process, just as Johnson did with Rausch.
“On behalf of our EVP & Chief Ambulance Officer, BC Emergency Health Services, Leanne Hepplle and all of us here at BCHS, we really thank you. Thank you for the courage of providing that life saving care, thank you for your heroism,” Kunz said.
Responding paramedics – (l-r) Sarah Carncross, Katrina Yorston-McCaskill (who nominated Rausch for the award), Yevheniia (Jane) Alosha, Curtis Bekar and Carl Connikie who could not be present.
Don Urquhart photo
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the professional response that our colleagues provided.” This includes emergency medical call taker, Mackenzie Johnson, Emergency Medical Dispatcher, Shelly Gruvette and the responding paramedics, Sarah Carncross, Katrina Yorston-McCaskill (who nominated Rausch for the award), Yevheniia (Jane) Alosha, Curtis Bekar and Carl Connikie who could not be present.
These BCHS members were also awarded BCEHS Similkameen District Challenge Coins. “We have a variety of experience throughout our station here and everybody worked fantastic together, so again thank you very much,” Kunz added.
Thanking Yorston-McCaskill for the nomination Rausch added that, “you don’t know if you’re going to make a difference, I thought there was no way you (Gee) were going to come back, I mean there was nothing (in reference to his pulse), but you did and that’s just a testament to obviously being strong and healthy and a fighter.” Gee responded with a chuckle saying, “And I would like to thank you for bringing me back!”.
“I didn’t know anything for the first day and a half, two days. I came to in the hospital and apparently had been sick. I just finished my routine and then it’s a blank, from there for the next two days just blank,” he said.
Retired RCMP officer Jody Rausch holding the commendation letter and challenge coin.
Don Urquhart photo
The incident has made Gee keenly aware of things he had taken for granted before – mainly his strength – he noted that he can’t pick up the dog at this point. He also laughed as he related that his doctor told him if he hadn‘t been working out regularly “we would have buried you!”
And while he hasn’t ventured back into the gym just yet, his family is encouraging him to continue working out, perhaps just a bit less strenuous. Now three months on he says he’s still a bit sore in the chest from the CPR and his legs are a bit weak, he adds.
Meanwhile, Rausch said this was not the first time she’s given CPR as she had one other occasion to use it during her active duty career, but it was “unsuccessful,” she said, adding “so it was actually really nice to be on the other end this time.” She praised the work of the dispatcher who guided her through the process.
“People don’t realise, I guess, that the dispatchers do the major work in directing you, giving you instructions. It’s nice obviously to have the training so you know what it feels like, but to have that instruction is really helpful,” she said, adding they “really deserve their award.”
