Captions notes in press release.

The members of Lebanon Fire District’s C-Shift had a very special visit on Friday afternoon. Cidni O’Brien, 12, was playing in a soccer game at Lebanon’s Cheadle Lake Park on Saturday April 21st when she began to feel sick. After scoring a goal she told her step-father Tim Faulconer, who was officiating the game, that she wasn’t feeling well. Tim recommended she go see her coach, who took her out of the game to rest.

What followed was a traumatic experience for Cidni, her family, and the fans gathered at the game. Cidni sat down on the sideline and then rolled over onto the ground, unresponsive. Bystanders didn’t know if at the time, but Cidni was suffering a cardiac arrest which had stopped her heart. Cidni’s mother Nikki is a registered nurse at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, and as she sat across the field she watched her daughter slump to the ground. As the coach called out for help, Nikki Faulconer raced across the field to assess her daughter who was unconscious, not breathing, and had no pulse. Nikki immediately began CPR while bystanders called 911.

Firefighters and paramedics from the Lebanon Fire District were in house at Station 34, located less than a quarter mile from the soccer fields. They were dispatched at 2:36 pm and arrived on scene in just 37 seconds. Crews then had to navigate through dozens of soccer players and fans to find the actual scene of the emergency. Once with Cidni, medics quickly initiated Advanced Life Support care which included intravenous access, defibrillation, and cardiac monitoring. Medics also performed a Rapid Sequence Intubation, in which a patient is chemically paralyzed for the placement of an endotracheal tube which allowed responders to breathe for Cidni.

Cidni was transported to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital where she was further stabilized before being flown to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland two hours later. Following the incident, the grim reality of the situation began to set in on the fire and EMS crews. “Almost every responder on that call was a parent.” noted LFD Division Chief Jason Bolen. “Serious pediatric calls normally involve a heightened level of stress, and in this case Cidni was very close in age to a number of our own kids which really hits home once the call is over.” First responders went through a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing with LFD Chaplain Brian Gosser following the call, which is typical for incidents with serious emotional impact on responders.

In the days following her flight to Portland Cidni was diagnosed with a rare heart defect called anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery, or AAOCA. The defect restricts blood flow to the heart and ultimately led to her cardiac arrest. Cidni underwent open heart surgery on April 30 to correct the defect, but the risk for arrhythmia and another possible cardiac arrest will remain. That risk meant that Cidni would need to have an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) near her at all times, and AED’s come with a significant price tag. Cidni’s pediatrician, Dr. Dana Kosmala, reached out to the Lebanon Fire District to ask about a loaner AED while the family figured out how to navigate the purchase of their own unit. “When Dr. Kosmala called me to ask if LFD could loan out an AED for a few weeks I thought, we can do better than that!”, said Chief Bolen. Bolen contacted LFD Lieutenant Russell Duerr who serves on the board of LFCAIRS, the Lebanon Firefighters Community Assistance and Initial Relief Service.

LFCAIRS is a non-profit organization which raises funds through donations and fundraising activities to support victims of house fires, traumatic circumstances, or catastrophic loss. “When I received the request from Chief Bolen I knew this was something that LFCAIRS could provide for this Lebanon family that would really help them out during a really difficult time.” said Lieutenant Duerr. In the matter of a few days the new AED was ordered and delivered to Cidni by Dr. Kosmala’s office. 

In the months since her incident Cidni has been focusing on her recovery and trying to get back into the normal routine of family life. While her condition may now limit her competitive sports participation, she looks forward to exchanging that for a horse someday.

It’s not often that responders get to follow up with their patients after the call. In most cases, responders will never know what happened to their patients once leaving the emergency room. That’s why last Friday was so special for the LFD crews when Cidni and her family walked through the doors at Fire Station 31. There were lots of smiles, stories, and even a few tears of joy. Both Nikki and Tim and the Lebanon Fire District continue to advocate for CPR instruction and how to use an AED in the event of another incident like Cidni’s. The fire district offers CPR/AED classes on a regular basis, and the Faulconers hope to see an AED installed at the soccer fields at Cheadle Lake Park.

“The stars really aligned that day so that Cidni had the best care possible from the moment she collapsed until she had her surgery.” notes LFD Battalion Chief Nick Tyler, who was the shift officer working on that April day. “It was a very special moment for us as responders to see her today, smiling and healthy!”.

A family friend has set up a Go Fund Me account for Cidni’s medical expenses. To view or donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/cidni039s-life-flight-fund 

For more information about CPR or AED courses, contact the Lebanon Fire District Fire & Life Safety Division at 541-451-1901.

Photo Attached: Top – Cidni O’Brien Middle(L-R) – Tim Faulconer, Lincoln Faulconer, Nikki Faulconer Lower(L-R) – Battalion Chief Nick Tyler, Firefighter Nick Unruh, Engineer Corey Knipstein, Lieutenant Brett Kibble, Student Intern Brett Doshier.

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