That photo and the next one, just sent by a WSB’er who didn’t want to be identified, shows the first hint we had at the information booth of the emergency that was happening just yards away outside Cupcake Royale (previously reported toward the end of our afternoon festival coverage). Suddenly sirens pierced the ongoing buzz of festival revelry, and people rushed to clear tables from SW Alaska east of California so the Seattle Fire vehicles could get through.
We don’t know the condition of the man who suffered cardiac arrest. But we do know that if he has survived, heroic action by a bystander is no doubt the reason. A witness told us he collapsed; the bystander was soon doing CPR, as evidenced by the scanner call WSB contributor Katie Meyer heard, “citizen CPR under way.”
The call was a Medic Response, 7-per rule – enough personnel needed to make sure resuscitation can be performed. Following Medic 32 from nearby Station 32 (38th and Alaska) came Engine 32, Engine 29, and Medic 44 (an SUV-type unit with the on-duty supervisor). SFD personnel took over CPR. Festival crew and police worked to keep the scene clear, eventually putting up yellow tape – not because it was a crime scene, but because a crowd of gawkers gathered and needed to stay back. The CPR continued, and scanner traffic indicates other resuscitation means were used.
Festival crews cleared the curbside lane on the east side of the street all the way from Alaska to Oregon. The man was moved into the medic unit, where efforts continued a while longer before the crew left for the hospital, and while they were in transit. And that’s the last we heard. Two things worth noting: If there is an emergency and there is nothing you can do to help, please stand back and keep the area clear – the gawkers were way too close here. Also, consider learning CPR – you might be the bystander sometime, when someone suddenly collapses or is seriously hurt. Here’s one option we found for CPR classes in West Seattle; please let us know about any others you’re aware of, so we can add the info here.
10:47 PM: We have exchanged e-mail with the aforementioned bystander, who prefers to remain unidentified. He says he wasn’t the only citizen to jump in and help – a Cupcake Royale team member, he says, “took charge and did the mouth-to-mouth and got me going” on the chest compressions.
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