Quick Medical Response Saves New Jersey High School Athlete During Game Emergency

After two catastrophic medical issues in minutes, including a player who stopped breathing and had no pulse, a New Jersey high school basketball game was called off Tuesday night. The player was saved by the school’s athletic department and medical team’s quick and well-trained response.

It happened during a Northern Highlands-Teaneck game. Northern Highlands sports trainer Peter Koeniges was helping a player with a concussion in the second quarter when the Teaneck bench called for help. Another player was unconscious and not breathing.

Changing focus, Koeniges ran to the player. His professional skills led him to provide oxygen using a bag valve mask in emergencies. Koeniges utilized an AED to restart the player’s heartbeat after realizing he had no pulse. The life-saving process included CPR.

Koeniges was soon joined by two Northern Highlands parents who are doctors. The coordinated response showed calm decision-making under duress, which Koeniges later attributed to recurrent emergency training.

Koeniges says Northern Highlands prioritizes emergency preparedness. The campus includes 18 AEDs, including several near athletic facilities. Before the game, one AED was installed near the court, which was crucial in seconds.

Local authorities were notified immediately. Allendale Ambulance and Valley Hospital paramedics responded after a game security officer reported a medical issue. When emergency responders arrived, the athlete was breathing again.

Koeniges and a Teaneck coach helped the player stand and sit on a stretcher before an ambulance took him to Hackensack University Medical Center for further treatment. Later, school officials said the person departed the gym awake, alert, and responding.

Northern Highlands informed parents the next day that the school practices its emergency action plan numerous times a year. Koeniges said the situation was critical, but the crew responded as usual.

Incidents halted the game. Teaneck officials kept quiet, and the school district did not reply to demands for information.

This tragedy shows how important trained athletic staff, medical equipment, and emergency planning are in school athletics. Tuesday night’s rapid actions show how planning and teamwork can save lives.

Sources

Northern Highlands Regional High School
Valley Hospital Paramedic Services
Hackensack University Medical Center