By Eduardo Castillo
The Wichita Eagle
WICHITA, Kan. 鈥� It was just like any other call in his 35 years with the Wichita Fire Department , WFD Station 5 captain Lance Diffenbaugh said.
He and his crew responded to a 鈥渘ot breathing鈥� call about 9:30 p.m. on March 11 at a hometwo blocks away from the station, which sits at 3102 E 2nd St N., just west of College Hill.
鈥淲e found a baby that was not breathing, and some parents that were completely distraught,鈥� he said Tuesday at Station 5. The parents 鈥渨ere trying to give CPR over the telephone from Sedgwick County Dispatch .鈥�
The parents had just returned from dinner and their 12-day-old son was in the back seat. They noticed he didn鈥檛 look right and rushed him inside. He started to turn blue, and they called 911.
鈥淲e realized that the airway was compromised, so these guys [EMT鈥檚] went quickly to work and started suctioning both the mouth and nose diligently as fast as they could.鈥�
They resuscitated the boy and continued life-saving measures. He was taken to Wesley Medical Center where he made a full recovery.
On Tuesday, Wichita Fire Station 5 and Sedgwick County EMS were recognized for their actions.
鈥淲e do this all the time and we鈥檙e so thankful that we had a good outcome,鈥� Diffenbaugh said. 鈥淏ut what was so sensitive to this crew at the time was every one of these guys鈥� [Station 5 firefighters] wives are pregnant, so they were like, 鈥業 need to make sure I do this completely perfect鈥�.鈥�
Wesley Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Lowell Ebersole and other Wesley staff presented the crew and EMS with Code Blue Save Challenge Coins, The coins are awarded to first responders and medical personnel who successfully resuscitate a patient experiencing cardiac arrest before transferring them to the hospital.
鈥淩esponding to critical patients is always challenging, but when that patient is an infant, the emotional and clinical demands rise to a whole new level,鈥� Ebersole said. 鈥淭hese situations require rapid decision making, calm under pressure and seamless team work.鈥�
鈥淭hank you for your unwavering commitment to saving lives,鈥� Ebersole added.
Diffenbaugh said the baby and his parents have stopped by the fire station to let the crew know he made a full recovery.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e here, that鈥檚 why we exist, is to go help people.鈥�
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