Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125872044 - California Conservation Corps Park

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:18 p.m. on June 3, 2004, an employee was working on restoration of a nature trail, located in Dos Picos County Park in Ramona, California. The employee suffered a heart attack. The on site supervisor, who performed first aid on the employee, described the employee's symptoms as being similar to those of somebody suffering a heart attack: erratic and racing heart beat, hyperventilation, and loss of body control. After the first aid trainers and the California Dept. of Forestry fire paramedics were unsuccessful in reviving him, a doctor pronounced him dead at the scene. The life flight helicopter arrived, but it was not used in the end. Workers from California Conservation Corps were doing a restoration of a trail on a hillside that burned, during the October 2003 Cedar Wildfire. The employee was an active person and strong, who moved rocks and used other tools to repair the trail. The Medical Examiner investigated the sudden and unexpected death. The employee was listed as a known cigarette smoker and did not abuse any illicit drugs. The cause of death was sudden cardiac death due to arrhythmia and coronary artery disease. A contributing factor was methamphetamine use, according to the report. The Manner of death was listed as an accident.

Keywords: CARDIOVASC SYSTEM, CPR, HEART ATTACK, CARDIOVASC DISEASE