Alex Mann
The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
MILLERSVILLE, Md. — An Anne Arundel County firefighter remained hospitalized Monday morning after a coworker found him unconscious Sunday afternoon at the Lake Shore Fire Station as they dressed to put out a fire.
Fire officials said Capt. Donald Kelley, 62, a 33-year-veteran of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, was dressing in turnout gear — a fire-retardant jacket and pants, and a helmet — to respond to a dwelling fire in Jacobsville around 12:50 p.m. when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest.
The driver of the engine the crew were going out on found Kelley on the engine bay floor, began CPR and called 911 from his cell phone, said Capt. Russ Davies, fire spokesman.
Another volunteer firefighter got an AED and helped the engine driver shock Kelley, Davies said. The two firefighters were able to resuscitate Kelley before paramedics arrived.
“Fortunately for Capt. Kelley it happened in a fire station...” Davies said. “His colleagues, even though in a stressful situation, performed very well.”
Paramedics transported Kelley, the Lake Shore company commander, to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, the department said.
Kelley was transferred to University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore and remains under medical supervision in stable condition, Davies said.
Davies said similar outcomes could be achieved in public areas if people do CPR training and businesses purchase AEDs, both of which the department encourages.
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