A Great Day at Lakeside Station #3

Lake Jennings Area-

On October 13, 2011, the crew from Lakeside Fire Station #3 received a report that a teacher at Lakeview Elementary School had lapsed into unconsciousness. In a series of fortunate events, a teacher from another classroom had discovered Vickee Cloniger at her desk unresponsive. A call was placed for help and the school nurse responded to the classroom.

Discovering that Vickee was now pulseless, CPR was started until the arrival of the fire department engine company and paramedic ambulance. Upon entering the scene, the crew discovered that the patient continued to be pulseless. Advanced cardiac life support was initiated which included a series of defibrillations to re-start the heart. Soon paramedics detected a pulse and the monitor indicated that Vickee's heart had started beating again.

Vickee, and husband CJ, present the crew at station #3 with a "thank you" cake. (from L to R): Firefighter-Paramedic Lance Buford, Fire Engineer Steve Schleif, Firefighter-Paramedic Chris Williams, CJ Cloniger, Vickee Cloniger, Fire Captain Mark Grow, Firefighter-Paramedic Eric Stamm

Medications were administered to keep the heart functioning normally and the crew rapidly loaded her into Medic 3 for the short ride to Grossmont Hospital. En route to the hospital the crew was amazed as the patient not only started breathing on her own, but had regained consciousness and was holding a conversation with the medics.

Over the weeks of recovery, the crew was able to follow Vickee's recovery through reports from the hospital. But the best reward occurred on November 4, 2011, when Vickee, and her husband visited the crew at the fire station.

Fully recovered, Vickee has returned to the job she loves; as a 1st grade teacher at Lakeview Elementary.