Roadway Rescue

When MCHD-ALARM 911 Calltaker Jordyn West received an honoree invitation to a CPR save recognition event, she was overjoyed to learn the patient had survived. Without pulling up the recorded call, she immediately remembered the voice on the line reporting that his wife was turning blue in the passenger seat.

The couple, Paul and Juliana Crush, had left to take their adult son to a routine doctor appointment in May 2024. While driving, Paul soon realized his wife was struggling, her internal pacemaker failing to fire through a cardiac event. As a former X-ray technician, Paul’s medical background helped him recognize the dire situation, but he had hoped to make it to a medic or fire station as Juliana’s condition rapidly deteriorated.

Though West had handled several CPR calls in her first year at the console, this was her first time hearing the patient’s condition transform from awake and responding to unconscious and fading fast. The sudden change led her to quickly pivot from questioning on the Unconscious/Fainting (Near) Protocol to immediately beginning CPR instructions on Protocol C.

With West prompting quick action, Paul stopped under a highway overpass in Splendora (Texas, USA). He turned on his vehicle’s hazard lights, and he pulled his wife out of the car to start CPR.

West focused on calming the caller down while guiding compressions. “I wanted him to get on the same count so we could do this together,” she said. “He was willing to go with it, but he just felt frustrated.” While pumping Juliana’s chest, Paul was aggravated, expressing his need for help now.

Fortunately, the fire station was near the scene, so responders arrived within a few minutes. West waited on the line, listening for confirmation that they were now taking over with CPR and defibrillation. Only after disconnecting could West allow herself a moment to stand up, put her hands on her hips, and release a few heavy sighs. “I had to redirect myself for a minute,” she said. “I hadn’t noticed I’d been holding my own breath.”

West did not hear the outcome of the patient’s condition, though she held hope for the woman’s recovery. In addition to administering shocks from a cardiac monitor at the scene, paramedics inserted a breathing tube and gave Juliana medication to restart her heart, restoring enough brain function for her to begin to resist—a hopeful sign.¹

In September 2024, more than three months after the call, West was honored alongside the responding crews for a life saved against all odds. She anxiously awaited the chance to meet the woman whose heart had been in her guiding hands.

“It was so nice to meet all of them [caller, patient, and son], though a bit nerve-wracking, too,” she said. “They were so sweet. Paul made an apologetic joke about yelling over the phone, but I told him, ‘You’re fine.’”

West could appreciate the stress at the scene, which she felt with him. Her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her natural ability to talk to people help West in her 911 role. “It’s all about personalizing your tone and building rapport with the caller,” she said. “Even if the call isn’t long, you can offer reassurance and learn a lot about people in those moments.”

Though it may be an EMD’s routine to handle the critical minutes, nothing feels routine about a life saved and the impact it has on a family. “I would not be here without you guys and my husband. You saved me,” Juliana said. “I have a son who has a traumatic brain injury. I take care of him… his life would never be the same without me. So, I thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart.”²

The Medical Priority Dispatch System™ (MPDS®), which MCHD-ALARM has been using for nearly 30 years, provides West peace of mind while guiding impactful decisions. She has also learned to rely on her instincts to offer compassion while sending help.

“You get what you give,” she said. “Whatever you put out into the world, you receive back.”

Sources

1. “Quick-thinking husband, first responders save woman’s life after cardiac arrest in Splendora.” Blue Bonnet News. 2024; Sep. 16. https://bluebonnetnews.com/2024/09/16/quick-thinking-husband-first-responders-save-womans-life-after-cardiac-arrest-in-splendora/ (accessed Nov. 13, 2024).

2. See note 1.