Los Angeles City Firefighters responded quickly to the water's edge to save a man in cardiac arrest, just weeks after training with the Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguards on traversing long stretches of deep sand to emergency medical responses on the beach.

LAFD Firefighters have been responding to LA County beaches in Venice medical emergencies as the first-to-arrive paramedic units for years. The hike through at least 100 yards of deep sand, in boots while carrying medical equipment, can be exhausting and delay care. However, just like remote hiking trails in Los Angeles, there's no easy way to get there. Last year, members are Fire Station 63, located just off of Venice Boulevard on Shell Avenue, took proactive efforts to improve response times to the water's edge.

Fire Station 63 reached out to the EMTs who are exclusively stationed on the beaches - your Los Angeles County Lifeguards. LAFD Firefighters appeared on three separate days to meet with the Lifeguards and train with them on safely driving across the (sometimes crowded) beaches and operating a vehicle in deep sand. They also reviewed standard operating procedures between departments, again ensuring compatibility and interoperability to deliver the best EMS service possible.The result was a model where LAFD units who were dispatched to beachfront emergencies would bring the utility pickup truck from the fire station. This type of vehicle is referred to as a "plug buggy" around the Department.

Just weeks after Fire Station 63's training session with LA County Lifeguards, they were dispatched to a reported drowning near Venice Pier at 5:29 PM on February 21, 2023. Firefighter/Paramedics brought the plug buggy for the response, freshly equipped with the knowledge and training to safely cross the sand. 

LA County Lifeguards were notified of a 42-year-old male who fell from the end of the Venice Pier. They rushed to the man's aid, but found the man lifeless in the water. They brought him out of the water and initiated CPR on the shore to the man in cardiac arrest. LAFD Firefighter/Paramedics safely crossed the deep sand to meet the EMT-certified lifeguards and continue providing life-saving measures. Emergency pre-hospital care was provided without delay, including IVs, medication, and defibrillation (shocking the heart).

The patient was placed on a back board, secured in the back of the plug buggy, and transported over the sand (accompanied by rescuers) to the ambulance. While en route to the hospital, the man regained a pulse, although still not out of the woods yet. The LAFD ambulance arrived at the nearest Level 1 Trauma Center, where nurses, physicians, and other hospital staff took over care and support the man's recovery.

The recent collaboration and training allowed a man on death's doorstep to have the emergency medical care he needed in the quickest way possible. LAFD officials were honored to work with our partners at LA County and wanted to thank them for their time and effort to help us work together better. Chief Takeshita (who oversees Venice and surrounding cities in Batallion 4) and Captain Winn of Fire Station 63 presented Letters of Recognition to the sand driving instructors.