A life-threatening incident several weeks ago had a happy ending for a Kimball man who was reunited today with the EMTs and others who saved his life.
Kimball Health Services emergency responders, medical providers, nurses and others received lifesaving awards for their actions April 2 when Paul Quicke, 68, suffered a heart attack and was found lying unresponsive in the intersection of Washington and 7th St. in Kimball. Responding to a Kimball County Sheriff’s Office dispatch, off duty paramedic Mike Downey and EMT Alicia Downey arrived in 2 minutes, 7 seconds.
They found Quicke lying in the middle of the intersection, not breathing and without a pulse.
Paramedic Ed Girmus and EMT Taylor Schmidt arrived in their personal vehicles about 30 seconds later. Within another 30 seconds, paramedic Ken Boston and EMT Arely Miller arrived in the KHS ambulance.
“Our crews were able to start CPR compressions, apply an automatic external defibrillator and administer two shocks before the ambulance arrived,” said Downey, emergency medical services director at KHS. “Care continued once the ambulance arrived on scene and due to their training and dedication, the crew was able to restart Mr. Quicke’s heart.”
“Mr. Quicke was transported to the KHS Emergency Department where care was turned over to Taylor Schroeder, one of our nurse practitioners,” Downey said. “Mr. Quicke underwent three additional shocks. Several critical medications were administered to keep his heart beating.”
Other KHS staff who received lifesaving awards included nurses Jessica Webb, Whitney Smith, Daneal Dickinson, David Barton, Jason Beals and Jennifer DePue, along with laboratory director Lora “Peachy” Dinorog and radiology technician Lisa Gibbs.
Quicke, who suffered an acute myocardial infarction, was transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center where he spent 18 days. He’s now back home in Kimball after a complete recovery.
“In the United States, approximately 350,000 people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year and of those, about 10 percent survive,” Downey told about a dozen or so KHS staff gathered for a reunion with Quicke Wednesday in the hospital’s new lobby. “We present to each of you a lifesaving award certificate and lapel pin in thanks for your actions and the excellent care you provided that day, and continue to provide to our patients here in Kimball.”
“The glory goes to God, and thank you all for everything,” Quicke told the KHS staff. “You know, if it wasn’t for everything that happened the way it did, I wouldn’t be here. It’s just absolutely amazing.”
