Cranford First Responders Save Life Of 53-Year-Old Resident With CPR

CRANFORD, NJ — Cranford Police, Fire and EMS successfully resuscitated and saved the life of a 53-year-old resident who had gone into cardiac arrest on Friday night.

Officers Daniel Donnerstag and Joshua Sousa rushed to a home on Orchard Street after receiving a report of a man experiencing chest pains, according to Cranford Police. The man's condition worsened while first responders were on the scene, resulting in his loss of consciousness and pulse.

Police said upon arrival, Donnerstag — a certified Emergency Medical Technician and American Heart Association CPR instructor — recognized that the man was gasping for air. As a result, Donnerstag and Sousa immediately began to rescue breathe for the man, using a bag-valve mask.

After the 53-year-old lost consciousness and his pulse, more police units and Fire Department officials arrived at the home to assist.

Officer Nelson Hearns used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to administer a shock, followed by CPR. After the team performed multiple rounds of CPR, the man suddenly gasped for air and became conscious, police said.

Paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson at Rahway Hospital arrived and continued treatment, as the 53-year-old became fully alert. He was then taken to Newark Beth-Israel Hospital by Cranford Fire Department's EMS.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 475,000 Americans die each year from cardiac arrest – with many of those medical events occurring outside of the hospital environment. CPR in conjunction with the successful deployment of an AED can double or triple a patient’s survival rate in these settings.

Police Ryan Chief Greco praised the efforts of all the first responders involved in the rescue.

“First responders using their training and experience and acting as a team led to the successful saving of a Cranford resident’s life,” Greco said.

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