On Monday, August 28 at 6:00 pm at the Plano Municipal Center, Plano City Council recognized Plano Police, Plano Fire-Rescue, Plano 9-1-1, and Medical City Plano staff for saving the life of Rick Armijo through an innovative program.
Mr. Armijo suffered cardiac arrest at his house. A Plano 9-1-1 operator guided his stepson in administering CPR, until a Plano police officer took over. Plano Fire-Rescue paramedics arrived and continued resuscitation efforts. The paramedics then made the call to alert the ECMO team at Medical City Plano. Plano Police Officer Renfro responded to this call and following is information about her heroic efforts to save Mr. Armijo's life.
On June 18, 2023, at approximately 0150 hours, Officer Renfro was dispatched to assist the Plano Fire-Rescue (PFR), which involved a 51-year-old male that was unconscious and foaming at the mouth. Officer Renfro arrived on scene at 0152 hours and located a teenager attempting to perform CPR on the unconscious male. The unconscious male did not have a pulse and Officer Renfro immediately took over CPR. She performed chest compressions while PFR personnel gathered their equipment. PFR personnel then placed defibrillation pads on the unconscious male and ultimately received a pulse. The male was then transported to Medical City Plano.
PFR Paramedic B Stacks stated that Officer Renfro’s chest compressions allowed the defibrillation pads to be placed on the patient several minutes faster. Stacks also stated this was a contributing factor in the patient regaining a pulse.
The Charge Nurse at Medical City Plano, Cameron Hendley stated that the patient suffered cardiac arrest and without successful CPR within three minutes, he would have died.
Officer Renfro’s actions undoubtedly contributed to the patient’s progress and recovery after being treated by Plano Fire-Rescue and medical staff at the hospital.
The ECMO program went live in December 2022. Of the 31 activations, ECMO was used 23 times and resulted in a survival rate double the national average.
