Five members of Columbus Fire and EMS are being recognized for their quick thinking and response after helping save the life of a woman suffering a severe stroke.

Piedmont Columbus Regional has named Declan McCahan, TyReese McNeese, John Freiberg, Zachary Kelley and Dylon Watson as the hospital’s First Friday Heroes® for August.

The crew responded after a woman returned home from running errands and began feeling ill. She told a friend to call 911, but while waiting for emergency crews to arrive, she lost the ability to speak and developed a facial droop.

Because a stretcher could not fit through the home, the fire and EMS crew adapted to the situation and safely maneuvered the woman out of the residence using a rolling office chair.

As they placed her onto the stretcher, the crew recognized that her condition was continuing to change. She had developed a gazed look in her eyes and weakness on the right side of her body, raising concern for a large vessel occlusion, a severe type of stroke caused by a blockage in one of the brain’s major blood vessels.

The crew immediately notified the Piedmont Columbus Midtown Emergency Trauma Center that they were on the way and provided hospital staff with a detailed report of the patient’s condition.

Once she arrived at the hospital, the woman was quickly taken to the Interventional Radiology suite, where doctors successfully removed the blood clot from her brain.

The procedure was completed less than two hours after the patient was last known to be well.

According to Piedmont, the woman was released from the hospital just 24 hours later without any effects from the stroke.

“Their rapid recognition of a severe stroke, ability to adapt to a challenging environment without delaying transport and timely pre-hospital notification set this patient up for success,” said Meagan Rhames, Piedmont Columbus stroke program manager. “Their clinical expertise, quick thinking and unwavering commitment to providing exceptional patient care directly contributed to a life-changing outcome.”

Knowing the Signs of a Stroke Can Save a Life

Piedmont officials are reminding the public that recognizing stroke symptoms and calling 911 immediately can make a significant difference in a patient’s outcome.

One way to remember the warning signs is BE FAST:

• B — Balance: Watch for dizziness or loss of balance.
• E — Eyes: Look for vision loss or double vision.
• F — Face: Check for an uneven smile or facial droop.
• A — Arm: Check for weakness in one arm.
• S — Speech: Listen for slurred speech or difficulty speaking.
• T — Time: Call 911 immediately if any of these symptoms appear.

A ceremony honoring McCahan, McNeese, Freiberg, Kelley and Watson is scheduled for 8 a.m. Aug. 10 at Columbus Fire Station 6.

The responders will receive a stroke care challenge coin, certificate of achievement and commemorative poster.