By Bill Carey
EMS1
CLEAR SPRING, Md. — The Washington County Division of Emergency Services presented the Life Savers Award to Clear Spring EMS and Division of Emergency Services team members for their work in saving an infant during a rare out-of-hospital pediatric cardiac arrest.
The Washington County Division of Emergency Services stated in a social media post that in June, Clear Spring EMS responded to a 2-month-old in respiratory distress. Paramedic Chuck Smith, EMT Peter Mitchell and off-duty Captain Melanie Higgins discovered the infant in cardiac arrest, prompting immediate assistance from EMS Supervisor Captain Casey McKnight. The team swiftly initiated CPR, airway management and cardiac defibrillation.
The infant had experienced a ventricular fibrillation arrest due to an undiagnosed cardiac abnormality, a condition with a survival rate of less than 2% nationwide.
The combined Clear Spring EMS and DES team administered intensive pre-hospital care, including medication and additional electrical therapy while en route to Meritus Medical Center.
The infant was further stabilized before being transferred to a pediatric specialty center. The infant made a complete recovery and was discharged without neurological deficits.
