The Walking Heart Award is an award ribbon given to members of the Loudoun County Combined Fire Rescue System when their care of a patient requires extraordinary efforts that includes CPR and due to their efforts, the patient survives and is discharged from the hospital.
On August 2, 2023, Sterling Rescue’s Paramedic Alex, EMT Reed, and EMT David (ALS625 and Ambulance 625) and LCFR’s firefighters Joel, Alexander, and Michael (Engine 618) were dispatched into the Cascades neighborhood for a person experiencing trouble breathing. Upon arrival they met with the patient, Natalie, and provided on-scene care, then transferred Natalie from her residence into the ambulance. What seemed like an ordinary routine transport suddenly turned into an extraordinary circumstance. Natalie suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the back of the ambulance. Paramedic Alex and EMT Reed quickly noted the change in Natalie’s condition and began CPR. They also quickly decided to continue driving emergently to the hospital rather than stop and wait for additional resources to assist. EMT David had to balance fast driving with maintaining a safe environment for his colleagues working in the back of the ambulance. Inova Lansdowne Hospital was alerted to the patient’s condition change and the ongoing resuscitative efforts being conducted. As a result of the collective efforts of Sterling Rescue’s team, the patient’s pulse and breathing were restored.
Natalie’s efforts in all of this cannot be understated. Her willingness to live was evident and her dedication to recovery has been strong. She was hospitalized for several weeks following this episode and her recovery continues today. On August 2, 2024, she walked into the Cascades station to personally thank the crew for their efforts in restoring her life. During the visit, she personally presented the crew with their Walking Heart Award. The reception was a wonderful opportunity for the family to share their story and for the crew to have closure on an incident that they have often wondered about.
We share this story with full consent of Natalie and her family. While we know that our crews routinely have a positive impact on the lives of the patient’s they care for, there is no better reward for their efforts than seeing someone who died in front of you subsequently walk into the station to thank you for a job well done!
Have you considered becoming part of a lifesaving team of individuals serving your community? Come joins us! https://sterlingrescue.org/join/
