Bystanders of a crash helped save the victim’s life. Renfrew County Paramedic Chief Mike Nolan, says back in May, local resident Bob Cotnam went into cardiac arrest while driving his truck and was saved by three construction workers. The workers witnessed a truck crash into a side rail on Highway 148 and jumped into action. It took paramedics nine minutes to respond to the scene and Nolan says at that point, it’s a race to save a life.
Nolan adds 9-1-1 dispatchers realized there was a Public Access Defibrillator nearby. He says after calling 9-1-1, the construction workers effectively provided CPR and went to get the defibrillator and helped save the man’s life. He credits effective communication and the quick thinking of the construction workers for the happy outcome.
The Paramedic Chief says there are over 300 defibrillators across the county in private and public locations to help paramedics deliver excellent life support.
