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Annapolis honors lifesavers after on‑field cardiac arrest; survivor recounts being down 17 minutes
Summary
The Annapolis City Council presented citations to two bystanders and first responders for saving a man who suffered cardiac arrest at Peninsula Athletic Park; the survivor described being resuscitated after 17 minutes and credited nearby bystanders, troopers, and medical personnel.
The Annapolis City Council on April 27 presented city citations to nurse Jackie Maloney and community member Tracy Patton for life‑saving interventions after a cardiac arrest at Peninsula Athletic Park on Nov. 14. Mayor and council members praised responders and the coordinated work that helped the patient recover.
The survivor, identified in the meeting as Mr. McCabe, delivered an emotional account of the event and his recovery. “I’ve been told that I was down for 17 minutes,” he said, and described receiving five shocks and intensive chest compressions before regaining spontaneous circulation and consciousness during transport. He credited bystanders, members of the governor’s security detail, and the responding troopers and firefighters for keeping him alive.
Why it matters: The council used the ceremonial moments to highlight the importance of early bystander CPR and access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The Fire Chief underscored the short window for effective resuscitation and urged residents to learn hands‑only CPR, pointing listeners to the city’s training resource at CPRatannapolis.gov.
Council members presented a separate retirement citation to Captain Jennifer Kay for decades leading the schooner Woodwind on Severn River tours.
The survivor’s testimony and the Fire Chief’s remarks stressed two policy‑relevant points: that minutes matter in out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrests, and that public access to CPR training and AEDs increases survival odds. The Fire Chief noted local response times are typically four to five minutes and said bystanders plus an AED on site can dramatically improve outcomes.
The council’s recognition included awards to the state troopers and firefighters who assisted that day, and officials encouraged community members to attend free training. No formal policy vote occurred on these ceremonial items; the citations were presented as part of the meeting’s ceremonial agenda.
Next steps: The Fire Chief invited residents to use the city’s CPR resources and training offers; council members reiterated support for public training and awareness efforts.
