Life Saving Awards presented in New Brighton

At about 11:40 a.m. Jan. 10, Matthew Lund and several friends were playing their regularly scheduled game of broomball at Hazelnut Park in Arden Hills. Lund had reportedly been playing one of his best games of broomball and was taking his turn playing in goal.

As the game continued, fellow player Dan Magnuson noted that Lund was lying on the ice and did not appear to be moving. It was found that Lund did not have a pulse and was not breathing.

Magnuson told teammates and friends to stop playing and for someone to call 911. Another player, Peter Javorski, dialed 911 to initiate the chain of survival via emergency responders. Allina Medical and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office personnel were advised to respond to a man down on the ice with no pulse.

Meanwhile, friend Aaron Briggs, a personal trainer who had recently become certified in CPR, and Grant Dawson took quick, decisive action. They began CPR with Briggs performing chest compressions while Dawson began rescue breathing.

Another friend, Mike Johnson, remained calm and determined a likely need for an AED. Johnson ran to nearby Trinity Lutheran Church, which was open and had an easily accessible AED. Johnson retrieved the AED and ran back to Lund at Hazelnut Park.

New Brighton Officer Brian DeDominces was monitoring the radio channel and knew he was close to the emergency call. DeDominces volunteered to respond and arrived about 3 1/2 minutes later, shortly after Johnson had arrived with the AED. DeDominces, who was the first emergency responder on scene, used the AED on Lund, who still was not breathing and had no pulse.

DeDominces directed two “shocks” with the AED to Lund. Allina paramedics, including Kimberly Hedger and Barb Schley, and other emergency personnel arrived as lifesaving efforts continued.

Lund later regained a pulse and began breathing, and Allina Medical transported him to Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Officer DeDominces and Ramsey County Sheriff’s Deputy Luke Mickelson traveled with the ambulance to continue assisting Lund’s breathing. Lund survived full cardiac arrest and returned to work on Feb. 2.

Lund’s damage to his heart is minimal. His cardiologist attributes the lack of damage to prompt and properly performed CPR, rapid response of emergency personnel, rapid intervention of emergency medical services, and the use of an AED.

Dave Matteson with Allina Health said cardiac arrest happens about 383,000 times a year, and 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital. Only 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims get CPR from a bystander, and the survival rate is about 7 percent for people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital.

Matteson said Minnesota is lucky because of the many different initiatives and training of paramedics and first responders. As a result, the success rates are much better.

“You are literally taking somebody who is clinically deceased, trying to restart their heart, regain a pulse and have a really successful outcome,” he said.

Lund thanked his friends, officers and paramedics for saving his life.

“I would not be standing here were it not for each and every one of you,” he said.

Lund also thanked the staff and members of Trinity Lutheran Church for providing an AED.