My second case of CPR was a witnessed arrest in a male subject about four miles in on a popular trail in Sabino Canyon near Tucson, AZ. CPR began immediately and was continued once our group arrived on scene. We sustained the effort for about forty-five minutes until the chopper arrived and took the victim to the ER. While we were giving CPR, trading off at about 5-10 minute intervals, pupils were equal and reactive, and we had good nail bed filling.

The ER physician concluded that the subject was dead the minute he hit the ground. Unfortunate, but it was excellent training for all who participated. Once CPR is started, basically you continue until death is pronounced or, I believe,death is patently obvious, like rigor mortis.