Special awards were given out during the Wells City Council meeting on June 8. Life-saving awards went to a large group of people who helped save the life of Donald Bruckoff who is seated third from the left in the front row in the above photo.

The Wells City Council met on Monday, June 8, for their regular meeting. Besides handling the usual business issues that come up each month, the council also got to witness two special awards presented by the South Central Region EMS and Wells Community Ambulance.

“On April 10, responders from the Wells area were notified by Faribault County Dispatch that a woman, Sara LaGarde, was in active labor and driving to the Wells Community ambulance garage for medical assistance,” South Central Regional System executive director Mark Griffith said. “Members of the Wells Police Department and Wells Community Ambulance met the expectant mother upon her arrival and began to prepare for an imminent delivery in the mother’s car.”

Within minutes the baby was successfully delivered.

“Shortly after, mother and her baby daughter were transported to an awaiting Advanced Life Support intercept for transport to the labor and delivery unit,” Griffith commented.

According to Griffith, prehospital deliveries are rare for EMS and there is an increased risk of birth related injury or death outside of a hospital setting.

“In these situations, it is crucial for all responders to address delivery, immediate postpartum care, and management of any potential complications,” Griffith added. “In this case, on and off-duty responders from different agencies came together within two minutes to ensure this care was provided quickly, effectively and without hesitation.”

Griffith then presented the responders who participated in the event with “stork pins” for their efforts in the successful delivery of a baby.”

The second award presented during the meeting was for a life-saving event.

“On Monday, May 16, responders from the Wells area were dispatched for a male that had collapsed and was possibly not breathing,” Griffith said. “Faribault County dispatchers provided CPR instructions to the caller and summoned a helicopter for transport.”

Griffith continued, “The first responders to the scene found bystander CPR being performed on the victim and quickly deployed their Automated External Defibrillator (AED).”

When the Wells Ambulance arrived, the crew implemented their cardiac arrest protocols, including establishing an airway, placing an automated chest compression device and prepping the victim for transport.

“Shortly before the helicopter arrived, the patient began to show signs of responsiveness and the attending EMTs found that the patient’s pulse had returned,” Griffith stated. “The patient was then transported to the Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato for further care.”

Data provided by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation shows that outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are rare with about one in 10 victims surviving.

“In instances where the victims survive, multiple levels of teamwork provide success,” Griffith stressed. “In this case, responders from six different agencies, separated by dozens of miles, collaborated on a moment’s notice to ensure that the Out of Hospital Chain of Survival was effectively followed.”

The survivor of the event, Donald Bruckhoff, rose to his feet and asked to say a few words.

“Without the EMS people, I wouldn’t be here,” Bruckoff remarked. “I just want to say thank you.”