Columbus Police Commander Shocked Back To Life By Co-Workers

A Columbus Police Commander is recovering after suffering a heart attack.

It happened Wednesday at the police training academy.  Officers say they had just finished boxing and returned to the classroom, when Commander Gary Dunlap fell silent.
 
“As soon as I got over to him, I knew it was bad,” said Lt. Mark Gardner.
 
Gardner and Sgt. Michael Evans immediately began CPR on Dunlap, who was in full cardiac arrest, while Commander Michael Springer made a run for the automated external defibrillator, or AED.

“I remember I opened up the box and there were pictures and I was like 'Wow, what do I do?' And, I saw something that looked like a rip cord, so I pulled the rip cord and the AED actually started giving directions,” said Springer.  

Officers shocked the commander's heart back to life and say in less than a minute the patient woke up.  Police say within seconds medics from the Columbus Division of Fire arrived on the scene and once again defibrillated Dunlap’s heart before rushing him to the hospital.

The officers who helped save Commander Dunlap’s life say they’re relieved he survived, and grateful the AED was there in an emergency.

“It kind of just makes you take a deep breath and say wow life is precious,” said Gardner, “and it just changes on a dime.”
 
Dunlap’s family says his condition is improving at the hospital.