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Contact Information

101 4th Street SE
Rochester, Mn 55904 (Map)

Phone: 507-328-6800
Fax: 507-328-6975

Mon-Fri 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Department Contacts

Rochester Police

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SCA Survivors - The Real Measure of Success

• Printable Version

Meet some of our survivors.  It is the survivors who provide us with the best evidence of the success of this service.  This illustrates the importance beyond anything that could be expressed in statistical terms.

Several of our survivors are now participating in the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors' Network   The mission of this organization is to prevent the loss of life from sudden cardiac arrest and to provide support to survivors and their families.  We invite you to visit their website if you are interested in this cause.

Bill

In the early morning hours of December 7, 2007, Bill and his wife Darlene were driving to church to participate in perpetual adoration. Bill stopped for a stop light. He came to a dead stop.

Fortunately Bill was not alone when he experienced his sudden cardiac arrest. Darlene called for help on her cell phone. RPD Officers Remling and Baron arrived shortly thereafter and began the rescue effort. They removed him from his car and attached an AED. Fire fighters and Gold Cross paramedics were on the scene very shortly. Bill was given at least two shocks to restore circulation.

Bill was taken to St. Mary's Hospital where he was given two stents and discharged just a few days later. Bill feels great and is still enjoying an active life style.

Bill is our 103rd program survivor. We still are learning with every rescue. The lesson in this rescue: Never cut open a down filled jacket. The paramedics are still picking feathers out of the ambulance.

Jerry

Jerry was an umpire at a fast pitch softball game at Soldier's Field Park on May 6, 1999.  He had no prior cardiac history but suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the game.  Bystanders came to his aid.  Someone called 9-1-1.  Officer Jim Evenson was only a few blocks away.  Officer Evenson attached an AED and delivered two shocks to restore Jerry's pulse.  The Post Bulletin reported this news item and titled it "Umpire safe at home base."  Jerry is alive and well and enjoying life.  He is very active in the MN SCA Survivor Network.

Jerry's son is a police officer in New Brighton, MN and has saved two lives with defibrillation and CPR as well.  There's a family that really understands the importance of police defibrillation.

Jeff

On August 7, 1985, when Jeff was 14, he was climbing a tree when he came into contact with an 8,000 volt power line.  He fell about 30 feet.  RPD Officers Schleusner and Paine responded to the 9-1-1 call.  They found Jeff's mother and a neighbor performing CPR.  The officers confirmed that Jeff was not breathing and took over CPR.  Gold Cross paramedics arrived and began ALS rescue efforts, including manual defibrillation.  Jeff was rushed to St. Mary's Hospital with Officer Paine on board the ambulance continuing to assist with CPR.  Although his heart stopped three times and was severely injured from the electrocution and the fall, Jeff was released from the hospital 2½ months later.

Jeff had 13 surgical procedures related to his electrocution and fall.  His recovery was slow and painful.  His blood was drawn 343 times and had an IV almost everyday.  He lost his right arm below the elbow and had other substantial muscular damage.

In 1992 he underwent open heart surgery again to repair a hole in his heart, a congenital defect that resulted in a stroke.  So he is a dual survivor.  Despite all of these challenges he remains a very positive person and is enjoying a full life.  As his photo shows, Jeff is an avid outdoorsman.  He enjoys rock climbing and logging.  He has also received his Wilderness Rescue Certificate and knows how to operate AEDs.  He also enjoys working with fireworks and is a licensed pyrotechnician.  He is so active that several people have told him he does more with one arm than most people who have two.  He also feels that every police department should have defibrillators because it is the role of the police to help people.

Charlie

Meet Charlie and Sandra.  They came home from shopping on November 18, 2003.  Charlie felt a little tired so he got into his favorite recliner to relax.  A short time later Sandra realized something was wrong.  Charlie was unresponsive.  Sandra called 911.  Officers were at Charlie's side within four minutes.  They attached an AED and delivered a single shock.  Within moments Charlie was conscious and breathing.  No CPR was needed.  Charlie is very thankful for the officers actions but considers Sandra to be his truest hero.  He is glad to be alive and enjoying his family and friends.  He is particularly happy that his young twin granddaugthers have been given the chance to get to know Grandpa.

Charlie is heavily involved in the activities of the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors' Network, is an advocate for AHA and related organizations.

Joel

On November 16, 1978 Joel was playing hockey with some of his 9th grade friends when he was struck in the chest by the puck.  The force of the puck sent his heart into fibrillation and he collapsed. 

Joel's coach and a cardiologist were present and began CPR.  Someone called 911.  Police officers and Gold Cross were sent to the scene.  Gold Cross used a manual defibrillator and successfully resuscitated Joel.  Dr. White and Paramedic Jeff Harte operated the defibrillator.

Joel's story is the antithesis of the Louis Accompora tradgedy - visit www.la12.org.  The phenomenon that Joel and Louis experienced is now known as commotio cordis and is another excellent reason that schools should be equipped with AEDs.   

Joel recovered from this experience, gave up hockey, graduated from high school and went on to obtain a degree in manufacturing engineering.  He is now married and lives in Iowa where he enjoys keeping horses, mules, dogs and other critters on his acreage.  As you might tell from his second photo (2003), he is an avid hunter.

Joel is one of the major reasons that the Rochester Police Department is so strongly committed to early defibrillation.  While Joel's rescue was prior to the time that officers carried AEDs, it does illustrate that early CPR and early defibrillation are critical.  It also shows that defibrillation is nothing new.  Perhaps Louis and many others would be alive today if we had boasted more about our success with Joel.  But then good news seldom raises public concern. 

If Joel's story touches you and you wish to help with this issue as it relates to children then you should visit Parent Heart Watch at www.parentheartwatch.org.  

Bruce

Bruce's story is an excellent illustration of several important aspects of our program.  Like Joel (above), Bruce was a very young man when he experienced his sudden cardiac arrest.  He was out for an evening with his friends on the day after Christmas, 1987.  He walked into a restaurant and collapsed.  His friends called for help.  Officer Ludowese was the first responder on the scene.  Officer Ludowese began CPR.  We had no AEDs at this time.  Gold Cross paramedics defibrillated Bruce.

Bruce was hospitalized for about a week to ten days and discharged.  He was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).  He received an ICD in January of 1988.  ICDs were relatively new at that time and were implanted in the abdomen because of the size.  Now ICD implantation is common.  It is likely that Bruce will never experience another VF arrest. 

Because of Bruce's HCM diagnosis, several of his relatives were examined and two were found to have HCM and received prophylactic ICD implants.  So now how do we count our saves?  Is this one or three?  With too much of this ICD implantation our department may have a harder time finding people to rescue.  We won't be losing any sleep over that issue but there is a definite decline in the percentage of VF arrests in our region.

Bruce went on with his life and is now the proud father of two boys and a girl.  Now how do we count our saves?  Officially we have counted only one but it would be fairly easy to count six.  We might have to check back in a few decades to see how many grandchildren Bruce will have.  This could go on ad infinitum but the point is probably clear now.

From a purely selfish perspective, Bruce's rescue is important to Rochester Police because Bruce is actually Bruce Jr.  Bruce Sr. was one of our K9 officers at the time Bruce Jr. suffered his SCA.  There are some police departments that think that defibrillation is not a job for police.  We cannot understand that perspective.  Bruce Sr. (now retired) was dumbfounded to learn that only about 20 - 30% of police departments carry AEDs.  Hopefully Bruce III (age 8) won't ever hear something like that.

Phil

Phil enjoyed running.  At age 41 he considered himself to be in good physical condition.  Phil collapsed at work after returning from a lunch-time run.  Rochester fire fighters were first on scene to help Phil.  His office was located about three blocks north of RFD Station #1.  Fire fighters quickly treated Phil with an AED.    Phil's case is a good example of how the Fire Department plays an important role as an ally in the defibrillation mission.  Phil is alive and well today.  You may see him running around downtown Rochester.

Terry

On June 19, 2002 Terry was headed home from a strenuous day at work.  He had done some unusually heavy lifting.  He felt some tightness in his chest but attributed that to muscle strain.  He lost consciousness in traffic on his way home.

Terry's car was blocking traffic.  Other motorists realized he was in trouble and called 911 but before the call could be dispatched, an officer came upon this small traffic jam.  The officer discovered that Terry had suffered a cardiac arrest and retrieved an AED from his squad car.  Terry received his first shock while still belted in his car.

Terry was taken to St. Mary's Hospital where he received an ICD.  Although he  retired from his work, he is still active and enjoying life.  Terry is also active in the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors' Network.

Jerry T.

Two motorists stopped at a Super America station on the morning of January 4th, 2005.  They entered the store to find the store manager unconscious on the floor.  911 was called.  The two motorists began CPR.  An officer with an AED arrived a few minutes later and gave Jerry a shock.  The officer and one of the motorists continued CPR.  Fire fighters arrived to assist and a pulse was restored within a few minutes.  Terry was hospitalized for a short time.  He has since returned to work full time.

Pam

Pam and her son went shopping on the evening of November 1, 2004.  He was very bothered by a dream he had the night before - that his mother had suffered a cardiac arrest.  She reassured her son that she would be fine. 

Within an hour of returning home, her son was in his room listening to music.  He came out to see why their dog was barking and found his mother had fallen off her stair stepping machine and was unconscious on the kitchen floor.

Police, Fire and Gold Cross were sent to assist.  Gold Cross successfully defibrillated Pam.  She fully recovered and enjoys an active lifestyle.  She was engaged to be wed at the time of her SCA.  Thanks to a worried son, a barking dog and defibrillation, Pam and Pete (pictured here) were married in July of 2005.

Paul

Paul collapsed while grocery shopping on November 10, 2003.  Two bystanders began CPR.  Police officers armed with AEDs arrived quickly and delivered two shocks to resuscitate him.  Paul did recover but it was complicated because he had broken his hip when he fell.

Paul was nearly killed on two occasions by lightning strikes as a young boy growing up in Iowa.  It is ironic that years later his life would be saved by two more shocks.

Paul believes that every police department should have AEDs and if they don't "they are missing the boat because they can get there faster."

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