EMS crew credited with saving Kimball man

KIMBALL -- Kimball Health Services providers received awards May 15 for saving the life of a Kimball man in April. 

The patient, 68-year-old Paul Quicke, visited the hospital to meet and personally thank the staff who helped save his life. This is also when the emergency responders, medical providers, nurses and other staff involved in his care were presented with lifesaving awards. 

Mike Downey, emergency medical services director at KHS, said he will never forget being able to meet Quicke afterward and shaking his hand. 

“I’ve never been able to do that in my 10 to 12 years of practicing,” Downey said. “It’s a very rewarding experience and something you don’t get to do a lot of.” 

KHS Director of Public Relations Kerry Ferguson expressed his gratitude toward Quicke for allowing the hospital to tell his story. Normally, a patient’s name and care are kept confidential, but Quicke provided the hospital with written consent to tell his story. 

Quicke suffered a heart attack April 2 at the intersection of Washington and 7th St. in Kimball. Off duty paramedic Mike Downey and EMT Alicia Downey arrived at the scene 2 minutes and 7 seconds after Kimball County Sheriff’s Office called for dispatch. They found Quicke lying in the middle of the intersection not breathing and without a pulse. 

The rest of the crew arrived within another minute. Paramedic Ed Girmus and EMT Taylor Schmid arrived in their personal vehicles, and paramedic Ken Boston and EMT Arely Miller arrived in the KHS ambulance. 

“Our crews were able to start CPR compressions, apply an automatic external defibrillator and administer two shocks before the ambulance arrived,” Downey said. “Care continued once the ambulance arrived on scene and due to their training and dedication, the crew was able to restart Mr. Quicke’s heart.” 

Quicke was then transported to the KHS Emergency Department where Nurse Practitioner Taylor Schroeder took over his care, Downey said. Quicke underwent three additional shocks and received critical medications to keep his heart beating. 

Medical staff determined that Quicke suffered an acute myocardial infarction. He was transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center where he spent 18 days. He is now back home in Kimball after a complete recovery. 

“In the United States, approximately 350,000 people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year and of those, about 10 percent survive,” Downey told about a dozen or so KHS staff at the reunion with Quicke. “We present to each of you a lifesaving award certificate and lapel pin in thanks for your actions and the excellent care you provided that day and continue to provide to our patients here in Kimball.” 

Other KHS staff who received lifesaving awards included nurses Jessica Webb, Whitney Smith, Daneal Dickinson, David Barton, Jason Beals and Jennifer DePue, along with laboratory director Lora “Peachy” Dinorog and radiology technician Lisa Gibbs. 

“The glory goes to God, and thank you all for everything,” Quicke told the KHS staff at the reunion. “You know, if it wasn’t for everything that happened the way it did, I wouldn’t be here. It’s just absolutely amazing.”