Firefighter, Mountie Save Care Giver In Medical Emergency

By Contributor

A Calgary firefighter and an off duty RCMP Officer are being credited for saving a woman’s life this past weekend, in Sooke.

Sheldon Burton, and his girlfriend Kimberley Dueck were visiting Sooke for the purposes of dog sitting this past weekend and while out for a walk at approximately noon on Saturday, came across a male in a wheel chair, who appeared to be in distress.

Burton and Dueck approached the male, and quickly realized his care giver had collapsed on the side of the roadway at Aiken Road and West Coast.

The male was unable to assist nor provide any information about how long the woman had been laying there. While Dueck and her two four legged friends, Lucy and Jerry attempted to console and calm the male, Burton assessed the female’s vital signs.

The female was unconscious, unresponsive and appeared to be in full cardiac arrest, Sheldon immediately commenced CPR, while Dueck called 9-1-1. At the same time, Cpl. Joe Holmes of the Sooke RCMP, who was off duty and heading to Langford, was passing by observed Sheldon, roadside performing CPR on the female. Cpl. Holmes got out to assist.

Cpl. Holmes continued CPR, while Sheldon reassessed the female, she remained unresponsive with no pulse. Sooke Volunteer Fire Department soon arrived with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and were able to successfully resuscitate the female using the AED.

She was transported to a local hospital for further assessment and is expected to make a full recovery.

“Firefighters and police officers receive training in CPR and first aid, but in this case both were off duty, and may not have expected to have to put those skills to use,” said Sooke RCMP Detachment Commander S/Sgt. Jeff McArthur.

“It shows how very important it is for everyone to have these skills. I believe that were it not for Burton’s quick thinking, this maybe a very different outcome. I would like to personally commend all those involved for their action.”