Livermore, Pleasanton Heroes Save Marin Man In Cardiac Arrest

PLEASANTON, CA — Local heroes were honored Thursday at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton for their amazing efforts in saving a Marin man who had suffered sudden cardiac arrest near the park earlier this year.

Livermore-Pleasanton firefighter cadets Cody and Jason Stearns, as well as several first responders, were praised for their fast work in saving Albert Hart, 59, who was out for a run on Stanley Boulevard, just outside of the Shadow Cliffs park, on June 15 when he went into cardiac arrest.

Hart and his wife Trish regularly do endurance training in the area. Lucky for them, there are some well-trained and very caring people who were nearby that eventful June weekend. The couple was on hand Thursday to personally thank their fast-acting heroes.

“This story should serve as inspiration for anyone who is able to learn CPR to do so," Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Chief Joe Testa said. "There is no better example of how important the bystander link is in the chain of survival.”

About 90 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die, but immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival, according to the American Heart Association.

Hart's survival was indeed a community effort. When his symptoms became apparent on that June day, a friend who was nearby recognized the severity of the situation and flagged down passing motorists, one of whom called 911 and then started CPR on Hart.

Noticing all the commotion, the two firefighter cadets — who were off-duty at the time — took over the CPR. Because 911 had been called, PulsePoint was triggered, which in turn alerted nearby CPR-trained responders, one of whom was a lifeguard working at Shadow Cliffs. The lifeguard and his colleagues went to the scene and were able to use an Automated External Defibrillator on Hart.

Trish was a few minutes behind her husband during their run that Saturday, and when she arrived at his side she was able to talk to him during the resuscitation. The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department paramedics and Paramedics Plus ambulance arrived at the scene and initiated Advanced Life Support care. Hart was transported to a local cardiac care emergency room where he was admitted, before eventually being transferred to Kaiser Hospital.

Just eight days after the heart attack, Hart was discharged from the hospital in good condition. It was the day after he and Trish's 28th wedding anniversary.

Hart has returned to work with a Bay Area school district and will be celebrating his 60th birthday later this month.

Testa said Hart's miraculous recovery was only possible because of the people who chose to learn CPR and who downloaded the PulsePoint app. About 90 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die, but immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival, according to the American Heart Association.

All of the Tri-Valley region, most of California, and over 3,600 communities across North America utilize PulsePoint. The application was first deployed by San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District in 2009 by then Fire Chief Richard Price. Price later founded the nonprofit PulsePoint Foundation, which is currently headquartered in Pleasanton.