Kamloops man saved by border officers

SUMAS, WASH. – A Kamloops man on his way to the United States to take a four-month winter tour is alive today thanks to the quick actions of border officers and an automated external defibrillator.

The 56-year-old man and his wife arrived at the border crossing int he motorhome on Monday, Dec. 30 around 3:30 p.m. During routine screenings the man collapsed and was gasping for breath. The U.S Customs and Border Protection officers on scene immediately began CPR and called 911.

When emergency responders arrived 15 minutes later the defibrillator was used three times before transporting the man to hospital in Bellingham. The border protection agency says the man did suffer a heart attack and remains in hospital.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.