On the 18th of last month, in an apartment in Jeonju, a second-year middle school student kept his father, a man in his 40s in cardiac arrest, alive with about seven minutes of CPR until paramedics arrived. Guidance from a 119 dispatcher over a video call reportedly helped greatly.
The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported on the 3rd that at about 7:51 p.m. on the 18th of last month, a man in his 40s, identified as A, collapsed complaining of difficulty breathing in an apartment in Deokjin District, Jeonju. His son, identified as B, saw this and called 119 at once. B reportedly said, “My dad can’t seem to breathe.”
광고 문의 · 300×250Flustered, B could not give the exact home address. Fire officials contacted A’s wife, confirmed the address and dispatched paramedics. In the meantime A lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.
School Safety Training and Video-Call Guidance
B recalled the CPR he had learned in school fire-safety education and began pressing on his father’s chest immediately. The 119 emergency situation center guided him over a video call to press at a steady rhythm. B did not stop for about seven minutes, until paramedics arrived.
The paramedics on scene performed professional emergency care including defibrillation and securing the airway, and A’s heart started beating again. Fire officials said B’s quick CPR and the appropriate responses of the 119 call-taker and the emergency situation management center together contributed to saving the life.
The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the head of the Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters praised the son’s courage and 119’s systematic response, stressing that quick CPR by the first person on the scene is vital for survival. A’s current health and recovery are not covered in the reports we reviewed and remain unconfirmed. The case also reminds the public that calmly stating the address and following the dispatcher’s instructions are the basics in an emergency.
