Off-Duty Fire Captain Saves Man's Life

The man jumped into action when he saw commotion to the side of the road

For one North County fire captain, the job never stops, even when he’s off the clock.

Earlier this week, Greg Rainville, captain of the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District, was driving with his wife on Park Boulevard when they spotted commotion on the side of the road near the San Diego Zoo.

They saw a man lying motionless, so Rainville pulled over and jumped into action.

He first checked the man’s vitals. Finding him pulseless and not breathing, Rainville started chest compressions after someone called 911.

By the time San Diego firefighters arrived, the man had a pulse and was breathing on his own.

“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and was glad to be of assistance,” said Rainville, according to a fire department release. “Since none of the bystanders at the scene knew CPR, I encourage others to learn these simple, life-saving skills so they can quickly render aid should they find themselves in a similar situation.”

The RSFFPD recommends residents learn hands-only CPR and download the county’s PulsePoint app, which alerts users when someone is suffering from sudden cardiac arrest in their area.

The app also gives basic CPR instructions and shows the location of the nearest AED.

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