Sean C. Morgan
SHFAD recognizes CPR providers who kept victim alive until heart restarted
attack victim alive
Quick and diligent action of several individuals at a local bird dog competition saved the life of a 71-year-old Canby man last September and their efforts were recognized at the end of last year by the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District.
The district recently gave a Lifesaving Award to the individuals for heroism and quick thinking that saved a man’s life.
On Sept. 8, Field of Dreams was hosting its final bird dog challenge of the year west of Sweet Home off Highway 20.
Chuck Sowers, a beekeeper from Canby, was running the second to last pointing dog in his division, said Field of Dreams owner Kirsten Fulk. Sowers competes with his dog, Baron, a German short-haired pointer, as a hobby.
“He was at the end of his run. He had shot really badly, and he’s usually a good shot.”
Fulk’s husband Paul was with Sowers as he neared the end of the course, she said. Sowers was huffing and puffing. Paul Fulk asked him if he was OK. Sowers told him he was. Some level of exertion wasn’t unusual for Sowers, Kirsten Fulk said, so they continued.
No one else could see the two as they moved along the course, when Fulk suddenly reported Sowers had fallen.
CHUCK SOWERS, center, works with his German shorthaired pointer, as Paul Fulk, right, follows.
It surprised Fulk, who had taken CPR training 20 years before, he said. “I was a babbling idiot, I think.”
But he flipped Sowers over and got on the radio to call for help, he said. He immediately started CPR.
“Paul is screaming into the thing, ‘He’s not breathing,’” Kirsten Fulk said. She called 9-1-1 and headed toward Sowers on an all-terrain vehicle.
When she saw him, she said, Sowers was as blue as she had ever seen.
The dispatcher told her to keep someone on the line and go to the entrance to lead in the ambulance. She tossed the phone to Paul and headed out to lead the ambulance.
James Akers of Sparks, Nev., awoke from a nap and heard what was going on. Akers, who had recently taken a CPR class, rushed to the scene.
Kirsten Fulk’s son, Bill Burroughs, took over the CPR efforts from Paul Fulk, followed by Akers. Akers, with the most updated training, directed the CPR under direction from the dispatcher.
“James was pretty much on the spot with that,” Burroughs said.
Meanwhile, Kirsten Fulk had rushed down the hill to Highway 20 and was leading the ambulance in.
“I’m just flying on the ATV, and I keep looking back and they’re right behind me,” she said. It was more than half a mile up the driveway and into the woods, to where Sowers was. Then she went back to meet a second ambulance.
Akers, Burroughs, Paul Fulk and others continued using CPR and assisted getting equipment from the ambulance. The ambulance crew was shorthanded, so Akers rode in the ambulance and continued taking turns with crew members, performing CPR on the way to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital.
With a couple of minutes left to reach the hospital, Sowers’ heart started beating again, Kirsten Fulk said. Medics had used the last drug in their bag.
She estimated that CPR had been ongoing for about 40 minutes, though Sowers’ wife Jeanie said a doctor told her it had been about 20 minutes.
Chuck Sowers was then transported to Samaritan Regional Medical Center where he underwent open heart surgery, Kirsten Fulk said.
“It was a good team effort really,” Burroughs said. There were probably seven people gathered around helping by the time the ambulance arrived. For being as “scrambled” as the situation was, it ended up under control and not panicked.
“It was pretty surreal after that,” he said.
After Sowers was safely at the hospital, Field of Dreams continued its event, Kirsten Fulk said. Jeanie Sowers told her that Chuck would want them to continue.
“I’m glad that it worked out well,” Paul Fulk said. “It would’ve been a different emotional roller coaster otherwise.”
“If they hadn’t worked with us, he wouldn’t be with us, that’s for sure,” said Jeanie Sowers. “We’re thankful.”
Mrs. Sowers also extended her thanks to the paramedics.
The Fulks received the award in late November.
“On behalf of the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District, I wanted to say thank you for all of your efforts on the eighth day of September, 2012,” said a letter from paramedic Zach Lincoln. “It was with great heroism that you helped a man in need. Without your efforts he would no longer be here today.
“As I’m sure you know, the man you helped is alive and is expected to make a full recovery. Without your efforts, the chances of such an outcome would have been greatly reduced.
“I have enclosed an award on behalf of the Sweet Home Fire Department as a token of our appreciation for all that you did that day.”
“They just did everything we needed them to,” Lincoln told The New Era. “They did everything. There’s no way he would have been there if these guys weren’t helpful.”
Their help included getting equipment, performing CPR and meeting the ambulance at the entrance, Lincoln said, and he was impressed by all of the people who helped.
“This case right here is a prime example of how important is for people to know CPR,” said Fire Chief Mike Beaver. “Everybody should know CPR.”
Specifically recognized by the fire district were William Williams of Rainier; James Dineback of Troutdale; Dustin Green of Vancouver, Wash.; Mrs. Fulk; Mr. Fulk; Burroughs; Akers; and Jimmy Smith of Alsea.
Lincoln said he is planning to submit Akers’ name for the Civilian Service Medal from the Oregon EMS Program.
Chuck Sowers is recovering now, Jeanie Sowers said. He has short-term memory loss that impacts things that have happened during the past year. He had previously had a heart attack in the late 1990s. She was gone at the time, and he had driven himself to the hospital in his own truck that time.
“Doctors say it’s going to be around two years before he recovers completely,” she said.