Marion County Fire Rescue paramedic Nilo Sierra was recently awarded a Cardiac Arrest Save Medal after his actions helped save the life of an elderly patient.
On December 12, 2021, Marion County Fire Rescue Medic #59 was dispatched to an inter-facility transport at Ocala Oaks Rehabilitation Center located at 3930 E Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala.
The staff at Ocala Oaks had witnessed an 83-year-old male patient go into cardiac arrest while they were feeding the patient his dinner.
When Paramedic Sierra and his partner, EMT Jacob Howard, arrived at the center at 6:05 p.m., Ocala Fire Rescue Engine #5 was performing CPR on the patient. EMT Howard took over compressions while Sierra prepared the patient for transport.
With the crew’s efforts, the patient went from asystole (flatline reading) to pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Upon switching the patient to Medic #59’s monitor, the crew saw a noticeable improvement in the patient’s condition, and the return of spontaneous circulation was achieved with a sinus tach rhythm.
According to MCFR, Sierra’s deliberate medical interventions while under intense pressure gave the patient the best chance of survival. In a statement on its Facebook webpage, MCFR said, “The distinctive accomplishments of Paramedic Sierra reflect great credit upon himself, Marion County Fire Rescue, and Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services worldwide.”