FAIRHOPE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — An automated external defibrillator saved a man’s life when he collapsed while playing pickleball at the Fairhope Recreation Center on Tuesday.
Steven Witmer, a doctor in Fairhope, was spending his day out of the office at the recreational center when he saw a man collapse on the pickleball court.
“It’s not the way the morning was planned, that’s for sure,” Witmer said.
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Witmer said they couldn’t find a pulse and decided to use the AED in hopes of saving the man’s life. He explained that an AED is a device that sends a shock to someone’s heart to try and get it back in rhythm.
“Within a minute of doing chest compressions after the shock in the heart came back into a regular and strong rhythm because you could feel the pulse,” Witmer said.
In situations like this, time is extremely crucial when someone’s life is on the line.
“If you can resuscitate the person within three to five minutes, they have a 50% chance of surviving,” Witmer said. “As the minutes go on because the brain is not getting blood and oxygen, the chances of survival dramatically decrease.”