Secretariat, Taipei City Government

At 12:18 A.M. October 24, 2023, a citizen reported an incident on Yongji Rd., Xinyi District, where a family member collapsed suddenly while moving goods. An ambulance was immediately dispatched upon receiving the call. Through the phone, the patient was identified to have a cardiac arrest. The on-duty personnel promptly instructed the family to perform CPR. Meanwhile, the nearest Public Access Defibrillator (PAD), located at the Wufenpu Police Station, was delivered to the scene by police officers in no time. Fire department paramedics also quickly arrived and took over, performing advanced cardiac life support. After two defibrillations, the patient regained breathing and heartbeat. Subsequent 12-lead electrocardiogram revealed a suspected myocardial infarction, and the patient was rapidly sent to the hospital. After receiving medical treatment in the hospital, the patient has recovered and been discharged, also able to manage their health independently.

In appreciation of the act of Wufenpu Police Station officers Wu Huiting and Cai Mengzhang for actively assisting in delivering the PAD to the emergency scene, Director Mo Huaizhu of the Fire Department publicly presented a certificate of appreciation during the Fire Department's meeting on January 9, 2024.

According to statistics from Taipei City, the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest patient with bystander CPR is twice that of those without. In approximately 1 out of 10 cases of sudden cardiac arrest, a shockable rhythm (ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia) may be presented. If defibrillation is performed within the first minute after the patient collapses, around 90% of the cases could recover, with a decrease in survival rate by 7-10% per minute of delay. With the help of bystander CPR, the decrease in survival rate may lessen to approximately 3-4% per minute.

To seize the initiative and save lives, the Taipei City Police Department actively collaborates with the Fire Department. Taking advantage of the time window before the ambulance arrives, they coordinate efforts to deliver the PAD to the emergency scene synchronously, making early defibrillation intervention possible for patients with cardiac arrest. By linking the chain of life, the police and fire department aim to seek more opportunities for successful resuscitation.