Mendenhall Glacier Park Rangers Save A Life

Our rangers are cool under pressure – and saved a life! Read more: https://t.co/WZ8qtl1F2o pic.twitter.com/votiyIfsOc

— Alaska Region (@AKForestService) July 14, 2016

Kudos to the above park rangers at Mendenhall Glacier for their quick thinking that saved a life in Southeast Alaska.

Here’s the Juneau Empire with more:

Schneider, along with six other park rangers, an out-of-state visitor with EMT training and a 911 dispatcher were all part of the life-saving event that took place July 12 near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center when a 60-year-old man visiting with his wife and daughter collapsed from a heart attack. Capital City Fire/Rescue Fire Chief Richard Etheridge visited the center Tuesday to present everyone involved (minus the person from out of state) with life-saving certificates and Chain of Survival medals in appreciation of their life-saving efforts.

“When I joined the fire department … it was rare to have a CPR save. Some of us were told you’d be lucky to see one in an entire career,” Ethridge told the group in front of a glacier lookout point. “You guys all chose to make a difference that day, and because you made the decision to get involved and get active, this person’s alive and with their family and doing well again.”

It was the first time the team of seven rangers met the 911 dispatcher, Sayde Ridling, who fielded the call and who communicated with the rangers as a CCFR ambulance was en route. It all happened within a matter of minutes, but they all said it felt like much longer as it unfolded.

One ranger, Anne McLean, called on another, Melissa Baechle, to call 911 while EMT-trained ranger Janet Anderson headed to the scene. Ranger Clint Augustson rushed to the area with an automatic external defibrillator (AED) for Anderson to begin shocks and CPR.

“We knew our resources, how to use them and were able to act confidently,” Anderson said.

Well done, everyone!