YARMOUTH – Yarmouth Fire reports that on August 4, 2016, at 10:33 p.m. Fire Alarm Operator Christopher Ruell received a 911 call from Wadson Braga stating that his cousin, a 1-month-old infant, was not breathing. After dispatching an engine and ambulance, FAO Ruell then gave Braga medical directions to start CPR. After 1 round of compressions, two breaths and about 5 more compressions the baby started to cry. The ambulance and engine arrived on scene and transported the baby to Cape Cod Hospital. While still on the phone with Braga, FAO Ruell repeatedly praised him for saving the baby as Braga was trying to give the credit to Ruell. It is believed that the baby had choked while feeding. Baby and family are doing well.
In addition to dispatching apparatus, providing medical direction and keeping the family calm, FAO Ruell kept Braga and responding crews informed by using the Computer Aided Dispatching System that allows the FAOs to look at a computer screen with map to determine where the responding units are in relation to the address they are responding too.
Deputy Chief Sawyer said, “Our Fire Alarm Operators are the unsung heroes and their actions of saving lives every day goes unseen because they do their work from behind a phone. Fire Alarm Operators are the first First Responders, they answer the 911 call, get the necessary information to dispatch the appropriate resources and then provide medical direction before any other first responders arrive on scene. All this is done in seconds.”
Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD) became a requirement on July 1, 2012; it is a system that enhances services provided by 911 Fire Alarm Operators. It does so by allowing the FAO to quickly narrow down the caller’s type of medical or trauma situation, so as to better dispatch emergency services, and provide quality instruction to the caller before help arrives.
For his actions, FAO Ruell was awarded The Yarmouth Fire Department Achievement Award. This award is presented to Department members who have achieved outstanding performance in the opinion of their peers and/or officers within the scope of duty and job description set forth by the Yarmouth Fire Department.
As Deputy Sawyer presented the Award, Fire Chief Simonian said, “It is with great pride and honor that I present FAO Christopher Ruell with the Yarmouth Fire Department Achievement Award.”
Media release and photo furnished by Yarmouth Fire
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