Wenatchee Complex Cardiac Arrest Fatality 2012

On September 17, Chris Seelye, 61, a professional faller was a part of a two-person falling module assigned to Division L, Branch VI on the Wenatchee Complex. The mission that day was not particularly strenuous as the fallers working in Division L could drive to their immediate work area and were falling trees in a flat canyon bottom near structures. Sometime after lunch, Mr. Seelye reported to the Falling Boss Trainee that he wasn’t feeling well. A coworker, who is coincidently a trained Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), became concerned that Mr. Seelye’s condition might be serious. A pre-staged EMT assigned to Division L was called and responded to the scene within a few minutes. As per the pre-planned emergency medical response plan, a “Code Red” request for an ambulance was called into the Incident Command Post. A few minutes later, a paramedic assigned to a nearby Interagency Hotshot Crew responded to the scene and assisted in assessment and care.

Two ambulances were dispatched to the scene, a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance was about a 30-minute drive away from the scene and an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance was about 45 minutes away. The EMT and paramedic decided to hasten patient care and they loaded Mr. Seelye into the EMT’s truck and drove toward the city of Wenatchee to meet the first responding ambulance. About 15 minutes later, the EMT truck met the Basic Life Support ambulance and transferred Mr. Seelye. A second transfer to the ALS ambulance occurred shortly thereafter. Mr. Seelye was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Medical Emergency, Fatality, Medical or Exertion