Submitted by SCAFoundation on Thu, 12/05/2013 - 12:00am

REDMOND, WA--54-year-old male teacher survived a sudden cardiac arrest this morning, thanks to the efforts of co-workers at The Overlake School in Redmond. The man was teaching his music class at about 9:30 a.m. when he suddenly collapsed and became unconscious.

"He survived because of the quick actions of staff at the school," reads a City of Redmond Fire Department press release.

When teachers in adjoining classrooms responded to calls for help, they knew what to do as one of the teachers is the instructor for CPR and automatic external defibrillation (AED) courses at the school.

The group of teachers and staff quickly provided CPR and “shocked” the man into a survivable cardiac rhythm. As Medic One and fire department responders arrived on scene, the man began showing signs of life. The patient was stabilized by EMTs and paramedics and quickly transported to Evergreen Hospital and Medical Center where he is reported to be in stable condition.

“This is the model that demonstrates how communities can come together to save a life. These are the critical pieces that make Medic One in our communities successful because citizens learn CPR, use AEDs and are willing to respond," read the press release.

The health teacher who provides CPR and AED courses to students at The Overlake School, as well as the group of teachers who were part of this lifesaving team, had never seen a cardiac arrest, reads the press release.

"This real-life experience demonstrates the importance of delivering CPR education early on in the schools as well as to the success of the community CPR programs. King County has the highest resuscitation rate in world, which is more than 50 percent. This is because of the aggressive CPR and AED training programs, and most importantly, the citizens, dispatchers and emergency responders who comprise the Medic One system."

SOURCE: Redmond Reporter