From the Huntley Fire Protection District:
High School Cardiac Arrest & PulsePoint Program
On Monday, May 11, 2026, at 7:20 p.m., the Huntley Fire Protection District responded to Huntley High School, 13719 Harmony Road, for a reported cardiac arrest involving a 16-year-old male on the school’s outdoor athletic track.
While responding, crews were advised CPR was in progress and that an automated external defibrillator (AED) had been applied to the patient.
Paramedics arrived within five minutes and located the patient lying near the finish line at the end of the outdoor track, where he was being cared for by off-duty paramedics and Huntley High School staff members, including the school athletic trainer.
Initial indications are that off-duty paramedics from South Elgin and Palatine were among those assisting prior to the arrival of Huntley crews.
Through the coordinated efforts of everyone involved, the teenager regained consciousness and showed signs of improving vital signs before being transported to a local hospital for further medical treatment.
The Huntley Fire Protection District is working with Southeast Emergency Communications (SEECOM) and McHenry County ETSB on the county-wide implementation of the PulsePoint AED program.
PulsePoint AED is a public safety tool designed to help emergency responders and community members quickly locate nearby publicly-accessible AEDs during cardiac emergencies.
The program creates a registry and map of AED locations throughout the community, helping improve access to lifesaving equipment when every second counts.
“This incident serves as a powerful reminder of how important early intervention can be during cardiac emergencies,” said Huntley Fire Chief Dan Wagner.
“I’m proud to say we are helping drive efforts to make lifesaving equipment more readily available throughout our community. Programs like PulsePoint AED can help connect people to nearby AEDs faster during emergencies, and incidents like this demonstrate just how important rapid CPR, AED access, and people willing to step in and help can truly be.”
Community members and businesses are encouraged to learn more about the program and register publicly-accessible AEDs by visiting www.pulsepoint.org/pulsepoint-aed.
The Huntley Fire Protection District also offers CPR and first aid classes to members of the community throughout the year.
Learning CPR and becoming familiar with AED use can make a lifesaving difference before emergency crews arrive. Additional information about upcoming classes can be found at www.huntleyfpd.org/cpr-classes.
The Huntley Fire Protection District would like to recognize the actions of everyone involved, including bystanders, school personnel, off-duty medical professionals, 9-1-1 Public Safety Telecommunicators, and responding emergency crews.
