Helene Elliott: Poised reaction by Ducks medical personnel saved Jay Bouwmeester's life
ANAHEIM, Calif. - St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, a Stanley Cup champion, son, husband and father, is alive because the right combination of people, preparation and procedures were in place when he went into sudden cardiac arrest while sitting on the visitors' bench at Honda Center on Tuesday.
Trainers, doctors, equipment managers and emergency medical personnel put their training to swift and seamless use by applying compressions within about a minute and bringing Bouwmeester back to life with an automated external defibrillator after he had lost consciousness.
"Studies will show us every minute that goes by after an event, the survivor rate decreases by about 10%. So every minute is crucial, which is why we practice this as
