JEMS.com -- There are some interesting stories and links related to the EMS response to Michael Jackson's cardiac emergency on Thursday.

TMZ is reporting that first arriving responders felt that Jackson was dead on arrival, but Jackson's personal doctor would not permit them to pronounce him dead.

The 911 called was released Friday afternoon with the caller reporting that Jackson was on a bed, not breathing and that a doctor was already attempting CPR. The caller says repeatedly Jackson was not responding to anything. "We have a gentlemen here, who needs help ... he's not breathing, we're trying to pump but ... he's not breathing." the caller says, not identifying Jackson by name. "He's unconscious."

"The LAFD received a 911 call for a 50 year old male who was not breathing and unresponsive. Engine 71 and paramedic rescue ambulance 71 responded and was on scene within a few minutes," Marc Eckstein, MD, MPH, FACEP, Medical Director of the Los Angeles Fire Department, told JEMS.com. "They found Mr. Jackson in full cardiac arrest with CPR in progress."

"LAFD members immediately took over CPR and intiated both basic and advanced life support interventions," Eckstein continued. "They aggressively attempted resuscitation on scene for approximately 30 minutes, and after consultation with on-line medical control at the UCLA base station, they continued resuscitative efforts during the short transport to the UCLA emergency department. There was no change in the patient's status during his prehospital course."

TMZ's report said there was evidence someone had been performing CPR for "quite some time" and possibly evidence of Lidocaine being administered. "He's pumping on his chest, but he's not responding to anything," the caller says as the 911 operator indicates help is on the way and instructs the caller to move Jackson from the bed to the floor.

Several videos and photos of the EMS units in action have been circulating online, including the video below of LAFD's Medic 71 and its Engine Company transporting the scene.


Oddly, at the end of the video, a bus full of tourists seeing star's homes drives by and is held up as the ambulance leaves the scene. Video shot by those tourists is posted on TMZ.com as well.

One of the most graphic photos showed up early on Entertainment Tonight's Web site, showing EMS crews working on an intubated Jackson in what appears to be the back of the paramedic unit. (Link Here -- Note this is a graphic photo OF a patient We are providing a link to this photo as it has appeared on major media for the last 24 hours). Based on other video, the photo was likely taken as the unit backed out of the driveway.

In the photo, medics can be seen doing compressions and ventilating Jackson. While this is an extreme case, it is always important to remember that cameras are everywhere now and while you may protect your patient's privacy, the public (and media) may not.

The Associated Press reported that medics tried to resuscitate Jackson for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.

As for the doctor, he is being sought for questioning but is not a suspect in any wrongdoing at this point, according to multiple media reports. The Jackson family and others had been reported as being concerned about a possible overdose of prescription drugs. An autopsy was underway Friday.

Our friends at STATter911.com note that the pictures circulating of Medic 71 are making it the most famous ambulance in the world.


By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON
Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES -- A 911 caller seeking help for Michael Jackson told an emergency operator that only a personal physician had seen what happened, and an ambulance was urgently needed because resuscitation efforts weren't working.

The Los Angeles Fire Department on Friday released a redacted audio recording of the call made Thursday by a person who only referred to Jackson as a 50-year-old man. It appeared that a mention of the phone number was deleted from the recording.

"I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir," the caller said urgently but politely. "We have a gentlemen here that needs help and he's not breathing yet. He's not breathing and we need to _ we're trying to pump him, but he's not, he's not."

The caller reported that Jackson was on a bed and the emergency operator began to instruct him to do CPR, but stopped when the caller said that the personal physician was there.

"Oh, OK. We're on our way there. If your guy is doing CPR and you're instructed by a doctor, he's a higher authority than me. And he's on the scene," the 911 operator said.

The operator asked if anyone witnessed what happened.

"No, just the doctor, sir, the doctor was the only one there," the caller said.

"Did he see what happened?" the operator asked.

"Doctor, did you see what happened, sir?" the caller asked someone in the room. Only an urgent mumbling can be heard on the recording.

"We're on our way. It's less than a mile away from Cedars," the operator said, referring to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Paramedics, however, took Jackson to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.