Firefighter-paramedics found a man face down in cardiac arrest, initiated care, revived him, and left him in good hands at a nearby hospital.

At 8:01 AM on Monday, December 6, 2021, the Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned to the 2800 block of North Herkimer Street in Silver Lake for a medical problem. As firefighters arrived, they found a lifeless man face down on the ground in front of an elementary school, with no compressions being delivered by onlookers.

Engine 1, covering for Engine and Rescue 56 who were participating in scheduled training, brought their advanced life support (ALS) equipment beside the 40-year-old man, despite not having a paramedic on their apparatus that day. Upon finding the man was not breathing and without a pulse, they began CPR and set up the ALS equipment in preparation for paramedics' arrival.

Light Force 35 and Rescue 20 both arrived on scene with firefighter-paramedics on board. FFPM Lenzen, FFPM Tadeo and FFPM Adair rushed to patient and seamlessly took over care of the patient in grave condition and use the prepared cardiac monitor setup to quickly defibrillate the patient with minimal pause in CPR. After the second defibrillation, his heart converted from its deadly ventricular fibrillation rhythm and the patient regained a spontaneous heartbeat (beating without compressions).

LAFD crews on scene quickly transitioned to transferring the patient into the ambulance and rushing him to the hospital, while continuing to support his critical medical condition. Rescue 20 transported him to Glendale Memorial, which specializes in heart attack interventions.

The hospital staff assumed care of the patient, and with expert medical care, stabilized him in the Emergency department before transferring him to the ICU, thanking firefighters for the interventions they took to save this man's life.