North Las Vegas firefighters help save newborn in cardiac arrest, now share bond

North Las Vegas firefighters help save newborn in cardiac arrest, now share bond

Kyle and Heather Adkison were at home when Heather went into labor on June 30.

Baby Grace was born unexpectedly early and spent 15 days in the NICU at the University Medical Center.

Kyle and Heather along with her mother were the only ones at home when their daughter arrived.

They said they knew right away something was wrong.

The North Las Vegas Fire Department responded to a 911 call that none of them will ever forget.

"She was kind of blue in color, then her face popped out and she wasn't breathing," Kyle said.

Grace was going into cardiac arrest as Kyle performed CPR when the firefighters arrived. Firefighter Jesus Garcia said it was a team effort.

"The biggest thing we try to do is dry the baby off," Garcia said. "We try to suction the baby's airway; we provided ventilation; we did CPR and that's what ultimately brought up the baby's heart rate."

It all goes back to training, he said. Grace was by far the youngest patient he treated for cardiac arrest and the outcome was ideal.

Grace spent two weeks in the hospital and is fully recovered. 

Doctors at UMC diagnosed her with HIE, or Hypoxic-Iscchemic Encephalopathy, which is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain before or shortly after birth.

"She would be dead if they didn't do what they did; they (NLVFD) showed up and brought her back."

Grace and her parents have been reunited with the team that helped save her life.

Each firefighter who responded was given a special service commendation.

That call made strangers become family.