John Pilon (left), survivor Ronald Shinn (center) and Dr. Ray Costantini with the AED that saved Shinn's life
Ronald Shinn is alive today because of two men who knew what to do when he collapsed in a parking lot last Fall. Thursday, he had a chance to shake the hands of the men who saved his life and talk with reporters about the importance of knowing CPR and how to use an AED. Shinn, who is 67, collapsed while walking across a parking lot at the Providence Tigard Business Center. He was having a sudden cardiac arrest. Fortunately for Shinn, Providence Security Guard John Pilon and Providence eHealth Regional Medical Director Ray Costantini were nearby and immediately came to his aid. The pair began CPR and utilized an on-site automatic external defibrillator (AED) to shock Shinn’s dying heart.
Survivor Ronald Shinn speaks with news crews about his experience
Emergency crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and Metro West Ambulance arrived on scene approximately three minutes later. A single shock by paramedics converted Shinn’s heart back to a normal rhythm and he was immediately loaded into the ambulance. While en route to the hospital, paramedics continued advanced life support measures. Remarkably, Shinn was semi-conscious and attempting to speak to paramedics when he arrived at the hospital. He was able to leave the hospital three days later.
The survival rate for cardiac arrest patients is bleak; the national average for patients who live to be discharged from a hospital is about 5 percent. However, TVF&R’s survival 
rate over the past three years has ranged from 10.8 percent to 22.9 percent – making it among the top in the nation. TVF&R attributes its strong survival rates to several factors: quick calls to 9-1-1, dispatchers instructing callers to perform Hands-Only CPR, the growing availability of AEDs in the region, and TVF&R’s quick EMS response.
TVF&R Public Information Officer Karen Eubanks added, “John and Dr. Costantini were instrumental in saving Ron’s life. Their immediate response, coupled with their willingness to begin CPR and utilize a portable AED, made all the difference that day.”
To learn more about AEDs and where you can learn how to use one, click here.
