Icod de los Vinos Councilors Save Colleague’s Life After Emergency Resuscitation
Three Icod de los Vinos councilors saved a colleague's life by performing CPR and using an AED after he suffered four cardiac arrests at City Hall.
Three local councilors in Icod de los Vinos are being credited with saving a colleague’s life after he suffered a severe heart attack at City Hall.
The incident occurred last Wednesday afternoon when a 62-year-old Urban Planning employee collapsed while at work. Councilors Cathaysa Concepción, Óscar Machado, and Marcos Hernández immediately stepped in to help. Thanks to their quick thinking and prior emergency training—one councilor has a background in healthcare and another in forest rescue—they were able to keep the man alive for 27 minutes. During that time, the patient went into cardiac arrest four times, but the team successfully resuscitated him each time before paramedics arrived.
The rescue effort was highly coordinated. While the councilors performed CPR, they requested an automated external defibrillator (AED) from the local police. Officers rushed the device to the scene, even driving against traffic to ensure it arrived as quickly as possible. This allowed the team to deliver a life-saving shock before medical professionals took over. The worker is currently sedated and under observation at the Hospital Universitario de Canarias.
Following the incident, the local government has announced plans to install more defibrillators in public buildings across the town. Officials also intend to provide CPR training to all municipal staff, acknowledging that the quick actions of non-medical personnel are often the deciding factor in surviving a sudden cardiac emergency.