On August 20, 2024, 59-year-old Samir Haroun experienced a sudden cardiac arrest while at a Costco store in Northridge, California.
Haroun had been attempting to fix a flat tire when he collapsed and lost consciousness.
His swift recovery was due to the coordinated actions of bystanders and emergency responders.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), the successful rescue was a result of the timely interventions from those nearby and emergency personnel.
Statistics from the American Heart Association show that only 10% of people survive a sudden cardiac arrest without immediate CPR or defibrillation.
Survival rates decrease by 7 to 10% for each minute that passes before receiving treatment.
In Haroun’s case, the chain of survival—comprising bystanders, 9-1-1 dispatchers, and emergency services—kept him alive and helped him regain consciousness later that evening.
Haroun, a San Fernando Valley resident, was visiting a tire center when the incident occurred.
As he attempted to adjust his vehicle’s tire valve, he suddenly collapsed.
A nearby customer quickly called 9-1-1, and a couple in their 30s began CPR under the guidance of LAFD Firefighter III/Paramedic Cheng Lam, who was working as a 9-1-1 dispatcher.
Costco employee Aldrin Isak also contributed to the rescue by retrieving an automated external defibrillator (AED) from the store.
After applying the AED pads to Haroun’s chest, Isak delivered a shock, restoring his heart rhythm.
LAFD Engine 104 arrived at the scene within two minutes of being dispatched.
Led by Captain Shaun Davis, the crew quickly assisted with stabilizing Haroun.
Firefighters Scott Whitehead, Linda Garcia-Rosales, and Kenneth A. Miller joined the efforts.
Once Haroun was stabilized, Paramedic Rescue Ambulance 104 transported him to Dignity Health – Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he received advanced care.
During the transport, Haroun received medications and two additional shocks to his heart, successfully restoring his pulse.
By the evening, Haroun regained consciousness in the hospital and expressed gratitude for the life-saving actions taken by the bystanders and the LAFD team.
The incident highlights the importance of public knowledge regarding CPR and AED use.
Emergency service experts continue to emphasize the need for increased availability of AEDs in public spaces and the promotion of hands-only CPR.
These measures, they say, could greatly improve survival rates for victims of cardiac arrest.
This was not the first life saved at this Costco location. In 2015, a similar incident occurred, and another life was saved at a Costco in Texas.
These examples highlight the crucial role that community preparedness and quick thinking can play in life-threatening emergencies.
On August 20, 2024, a man collapsed from cardiac arrest while at a Costco in Northridge, California.
Quick actions by a customer, a couple performing CPR, and Costco employee Aldrin Isak, who applied an AED, were followed by the rapid arrival of LAFD personnel.
Haroun regained consciousness in the hospital later that evening.
This incident emphasizes the importance of CPR and AED training in improving survival rates for cardiac arrest victims.
The LAFD and Fire Chief Kristin Crowley commended all involved for their swift and effective response.
