Rural Fire Volunteer Helps Save Crash Victim

LINCOLN–(KFOR August 23)–Call it perfect timing or pure luck, a 34-year-old Lincoln man is alive in critical but stable condition following a single vehicle crash Thursday afternoon at 56th and Vine.

It’s thanks to Larry Brockman, who rushed back after passing through the same intersection minutes before, to do CPR on saving the man’s life. He told KFOR News help from bystanders to get the man out of the truck and a nurse who offered her assistance was pivotal.

“The best thing that happened is part of the way through this she (the nurse) had her hand on his carotid artery and she says, ‘you’re doing great compressions. I can feel every pump,” Brockman said.

For Brockman, the CPR training has paid off.  He’s retired from the Army and has been a volunteer for Southeast Rural Fire District (which serves rural areas of east Lincoln and Lancaster County) for the past 19 years.

It took several other bystanders to help get the man out of the truck, so Brockman could work to save his life.  Lincoln Fire and Rescue arrived about four minutes after Brockman made the call.

“Bystander CPR is critical in the chain of survival for cardiac arrest patients,” LFR spokesperson Nancy Crist told reporters on Friday.

Lincoln Police say the man involved in the crash may have suffered a medical episode beforehand.

Brockman and Crist agree that knowing CPR is important, especially for emergency situations like Thursday’s incident.