A high school basketball game Tuesday night was suspended after two medical emergencies occurred within minutes, including one that required immediate, life-saving intervention from an Athletic Trainer.
Koeniges immediately ran to the unconscious athlete and found he had no pulse. He placed a bag valve mask on the player to provide oxygen, began CPR, and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore a normal heartbeat. Two Northern Highlands parents who are physicians quickly joined him to assist.
“Your training kicks in,” Koeniges said. “You figure out what’s most important and you go from there. I’m thankful others were there to step in. Our whole training staff was prepared.”
Koeniges’ preparation extended beyond training. Northern Highlands has 18 AEDs on campus, including one in his Athletic Training room and two others near athletic facilities. He had an AED positioned next to him during the game, a decision that proved critical.
An Allendale police officer providing security at the game called in the medical emergency, prompting a response from Allendale Ambulance and Valley Hospital paramedics. By the time paramedics arrived, the player had begun breathing on his own. With assistance from Koeniges and a Teaneck coach, the athlete was able to stand briefly before being transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center.
In an email sent to parents Wednesday, Northern Highlands officials stated the player was “awake, alert and responsive when he left the gym and then taken to the hospital for further evaluation.”
Koeniges credited the school’s emergency action planning for the successful response.
“We have an emergency action plan that we practice a few times a year,” he said. “What happened on Tuesday night was not very different from those procedures that we run through.”
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