EUGENE, OR--Lane County firefighters are mourning the loss of one man who had a big impact on their lifesaving techniques.
Fire Captain Craig Aman from Seattle Firefighters Local 27 passed away last week. Captain Aman was a Eugene resident who commuted to Seattle. He worked closely with Eugene-Springfield Fire. His legacy lives on in Lane County.
Beginning in 2013, Captain Aman volunteered his time to train local firefighters on new cardiac arrest management. The modern technique is referred to as a pit-crew concept, meaning it's consistent and fast paced.
Captain Aman died in the line of duty from kidney cancer, which is among the long list of cancers that affect firefighters.
Thanks to Captain Aman's training, the Eugene-Springfield area has one of the best cardiac arrest resuscitation rates in the country. Before his training, the local rate was 12 percent. The numbers for 2016 were recently revealed, showing the current rate is 50 percent.
The national average survival rate is 11 percent.
SOURCE: KVAL