On February 6, 2014, Jim Balsiger collapsed. His daughter, Anna, found him unresponsive and without a pulse. Jim was in cardiac arrest.
Immediately, Anna called 911. Shaken, she began hands-only CPR. The 9-1-1 dispatcher helped her count chest compressions. Within minutes, Tigard Police and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue arrived and began care. The EMS teams worked tirelessly to revive and stabilize Jim as they transported him to Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. In route, they were able to wirelessly transmit patient data to the hospital which allowed hospital staff to properly prepare for his arrival.
“Our team worked for about 45 minutes to stabilize Jim’s heart. We weren’t sure if he would make it but we did everything we could to keep him alive. The life-saving care provided before Jim got to the hospital played an integral part in saving his life.” said David Toovy, M.D., medical director at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center.

When an emergency happens, calling 911 is the first step in beginning life-saving care. Jim Balsiger would not be alive today had he not received a full complement of care from the moment he experienced cardiac arrest to when he arrived at the hospital.