b'182021 CARES Annual Report Right Place, Right Time By Becka Neumiller, Nebraska CARES State Coordinator & Health Program Manager Some people are just in the right place at the right time. That is true of Officer Markve of the Bellevue Police Department in Bellevue, Nebraska. Officer Markve received a Lifepak CR2 AED for his patrol vehicle as part of a $6.4 million dollar statewide grant awarded to The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services from the Helmsley Charitable Trust to place AEDs in all first response law enforcement vehicles, and is putting his new equipment to good use. Since receiving the unit in June of 2021, Officer Markve has deployed his AED on three separate cardiac arrest victims. Two of those individuals survived their cardiac arrest, were released from the hospital with no deficits, and continue to enjoy their lives with loved ones. One of these survivors is Candi Rathe. December 18th, 2021, was an ordinary day per Officer Markve. He remembers that it was close to the end of his shift, and although normally he would have been heading to the station to wrap up his work before going home, he decided to stay out on patrol. This decision would prove to be fortuitous. As Officer Markve was patrolling, he heard the rescue tones drop for CPR in progress. He and his coworker, Officer Andahl, both raced to the address from different parts of the city. When Markve pulled up to the house, he grabbed the AED out of his patrol car and went inside to find Andahl preforming CPR on 41-year-old Candi Rathe.While Andahl continued CPR, Markve applied the AED to Candi. The AED indicated that defibrillation was advised, so Markve followed the prompts and delivered a shock. He and Andahl noticed that Rathe had agonal respirations after the shock and the two officers continued CPR. Moments later, Bellevue Fire and Rescue, an Advanced Life Support EMS service, arrived on scene and continued patient care. By the time EMS left the scene, Candi had ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) and was taken to the nearest hospital, Nebraska Medicine-Bellevue Campus. Candi has no memory from the day of her cardiac arrest so her partner, Travis Harrington, and daughter, Delaney Harrington, have helped fill in the gaps. Travis says that he woke up just before 5:00 am and when he returned to bed noticed that something was not right with Candi. Her breathing was off and it was like she was having a seizure and then she just stopped breathing completely, says Travis. He and Delaney called 911 at 5:15 am, moved Candi from the bed to the floor, and started CPR immediately. Within four minutes, Officer Markve administered the AED shock. Candi and her family are very eager to spread the message about how important the chain of survival is, as early recognition of cardiac arrest, high quality CPR, and AED use were all critical components to her survival. Without CPR and the AED, I wouldnt be here, Rathe said. Those machines are wonderful. Theyre lifesavers, for sure. Officer Markve echoes Candis sentiment. She was the first person I ever saw saved on the scene, he said. Just seeing that the machine works and that the family still has their loved one is why I will always take the extra three seconds to grab my AED, because I know now that they work! Putting these devices in law enforcement vehicles and state parks will reach more Nebraskans in need, saving lives, says DHHS Chief Executive Officer Dannette R. Smith.From left to right: Travis Harrington, Travis Harrington Jr., Delaney Harrington, Candi Rathe, Officer Robert Markve, and Officer Tyler Andahl.t)'