More than 25 Central Oregon community members filled the barn at
Three nurses and a retired EMT, who were in attendance as prospective program volunteers, partnered with the Healing Reins staff to perform CPR and apply the AED which analyzed Butner’s heart rhythm and instructed them to deliver a shock. The shock and CPR returned a heart rhythm to Butner who was conscious when the ambulance arrived eight minutes after the 911 center dispatched the paramedics.
The City of
“The Healing Reins staff and volunteer captains are trained in both CPR and First Aid,” said City of
Paramedic/Firefighter Luke Stott was one of the first arriving crew members to take over care from the Healing Reins staff.
“There is no question in my mind that Healing Reins’ preparedness, by training their staff and volunteers in CPR and having an AED at the facility, saved Mr. Butner’s life,” said Stott.
According to Wright, the Bend Fire Department provides Advanced Life Support care upon arrival, however, national studies and personal experience have shown that survivability for a heart attack victim increases when instant citizen CPR is started and an AED is available at once.
“I wouldn’t be standing here today if Healing Reins hadn’t had a defibrillator and the staff and volunteers hadn’t been so quick to respond,” said Butner who has a history of heart disease and works with his wife as a volunteer for the therapeutic horseback riding program. After receiving care at
According to Butner’s wife, Elaine Butner, there was no damage to his heart or brain. “It was like watching a miracle unfold right before my eyes,” said Elaine. “It was incredible to see how the defibrillator walked them right through the process step by step.”
Healing Reins Executive Director Dita Keith explained how she had lobbied the non-profit’s board of directors for approval to purchase the defibrillator back in 2008.
“It was an expensive investment, but we all agreed that it was a priority because hundreds of people come to our facility every week,” said Keith. “We check the unit’s batteries each year, but this is the first time we’ve actually had to use it. We are so glad it was here when we needed it. CPR alone would not have saved Bill. It was a scary event, but we had the right equipment and training in place. The Butners are an important part of our volunteer family and words cannot express how much it means to us to see Bill walking through our doors again happy, healthy and alive.”
Defibrillators can cost between $1,100 and $1,800, depending on the model explained Wright.
“They (defibrillators) do save lives,” said Elaine Butner. “Yes they are expensive but I’m seeing Bill walking around, doing great and enjoying the things he loves like volunteering at Healing Reins.”
For more information on citizen CPR training please contact the American Red Cross at 541-382-2142. To purchase an AED there are many manufacturers who each have a product with different features and price ranges. All of them can be found using an internet search for “AED sales.”
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About Healing Reins
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