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Orem honors bystanders, officers and hospital staff after cyclist survives 27 minutes of CPR
Summary
Orem presented lifesaving commendations after a trail cyclist, David Snow, survived cardiac arrest following immediate bystander CPR, a rapid emergency response and hospital cardiac care that included stenting of an occluded coronary artery.
Orem officials recognized a coordinated, multi‑agency effort that saved the life of cyclist David Snow after he suffered cardiac arrest on a trail in June.
Hospital, police and fire leaders praised bystanders who began CPR and city dispatchers who guided emergency responders. According to a joint account by Timpanogos Hospital and Orem Fire, the timeline was as follows: - Around 3:33 p.m., a trail runner (Susanna Transner) saw an unresponsive cyclist and called 911 while another trail user (Kevin O’Keefe) began chest compressions. - Orem dispatchers directed CPR and dispatched police and fire units. An officer took over compressions when police arrived. - Orem Fire’s critical‑care team arrived, provided advanced interventions including two defibrillation shocks, intubation, IV/IO access, mechanical CPR (a LUCAS device), and medications. - Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved after about 27 minutes of continuous CPR. The patient was transported to Timpanogos Hospital, where emergency physicians identified a 100% occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (the so‑called “widowmaker”), placed two stents in the cath lab and treated the patient in the ICU. The patient later improved and was discharged to rehabilitation.
Officials recognized bystanders Susanna Transner and Kevin O’Keefe; dispatchers Heather Fenn and Britney Farrell; officers who performed on‑scene care; Orem Fire command and critical care medics; and the emergency, cath lab and ICU teams at Timpanogos Hospital. Mayor and council presented awards and asked residents to remember the role that bystander CPR, early defibrillation and rapid hospital care play in survival after cardiac arrest.
At the council meeting patient David Snow and his wife attended; city and hospital leaders described the outcome as extraordinary.
