Cardiac Arrest at Work: Charles Morgan’s Survival Story
Updated September 2026 with current CPR and post-cardiac-arrest information.
A normal workday at a West Palm Beach, Florida car dealership nearly became Charles Morgan’s last.
On December 8, 2010, Morgan, a 52-year-old car salesman, stepped outside Schumacher Volkswagen for what he thought would be an ordinary cigarette break.
Instead, he collapsed face-first in the grass.
A coworker found him unresponsive.
What happened next shows exactly why CPR at work can matter long before paramedics arrive. Contemporary reporting on Morgan’s rescue confirms that coworker Rich Harward began chest compressions before West Palm Beach firefighters reached the dealership.
A Coworker Started CPR at Work
Morgan’s coworker, Rich Harward, was a former Marine.
Harward recognized that Morgan was in serious trouble and began chest compressions while another employee called 911.
By the time firefighters from West Palm Beach Fire Station 5 arrived, Morgan was not breathing and had reportedly been without a pulse for approximately eight to ten minutes.
Harward’s willingness to act meant CPR was already underway before professional rescuers reached the scene.
That early response became the first link in Morgan’s survival.
Firefighters Continued the Resuscitation
Seven firefighters from Station 5 responded to the call.
They took over Morgan’s care and continued advanced resuscitation efforts.
According to the contemporary account, firefighters used a mechanical chest-compression device during the rescue. Morgan eventually regained a heartbeat and was transported for hospital treatment.
His survival involved multiple links working together:
- A coworker recognized the emergency
- 911 was called
- CPR began before EMS arrived
- Firefighters continued resuscitation
- Hospital teams provided advanced care
That sequence still reflects the basic principle behind today’s Chain of Survival.
Why CPR at Work Matters
Cardiac arrest means the heart is no longer pumping blood effectively.
For a lay rescuer, current American Heart Association guidance says that an adult who is unresponsive and not breathing normally, or is only gasping, should be assumed to be in cardiac arrest.
The priorities are simple:
Call 911. Start CPR. Get an AED.
The 2025 AHA guidelines emphasize that high-quality CPR is one of the most important interventions during cardiac arrest and should continue until an AED or defibrillator is available.
Morgan’s survival did not begin in the hospital.
It began at work, when someone nearby recognized the emergency and started chest compressions.
Workplace Cardiac Arrest Can Happen Anywhere
Morgan’s emergency happened at a car dealership in West Palm Beach.
The same type of emergency could happen at an office in Tampa, a warehouse in Lakeland, a medical practice in Brandon, a restaurant in St. Petersburg, or a business in Wesley Chapel.
The location changes.
The need for a fast response does not.
During the first few minutes of a workplace cardiac arrest, the people most likely to help are often coworkers.
That is why workplace CPR and AED training can be so valuable.
Morgan Received Advanced Post-Cardiac-Arrest Care
Morgan’s original rescue occurred during a period when aggressive cooling after cardiac arrest was commonly referred to as therapeutic hypothermia.
Contemporary reporting says firefighters began cooling Morgan after his circulation returned, using cold IV fluid and ice packs.
Medical guidance has changed considerably since 2010.
The 2025 American Heart Association guidelines recommend a deliberate temperature-control strategy for adults who remain unresponsive after circulation returns. The recommended temperature range is 32°C to 37.5°C, with temperature control maintained for at least 36 hours when appropriate. Routine rapid infusion of cold IV fluids for prehospital cooling is no longer recommended.
This is hospital and advanced medical care.
For a workplace bystander, the job remains much simpler:
Call 911. Start CPR. Get an AED.
A Second Chance at Life
Morgan survived.
He received a coronary stent and, according to the 2011 report, returned to work only a few weeks later.
The experience also changed his habits.
Morgan said he stopped smoking and began exercising several times a week after his cardiac arrest.
His story is a reminder that cardiac arrest can happen during an ordinary workday with almost no warning.
Workplace CPR Training Can Prepare Employees to Act
Employees trained in CPR can learn how to:
- Recognize possible cardiac arrest
- Call 911 immediately
- Begin chest compressions
- Retrieve an AED
- Follow the AED’s instructions
- Continue CPR until EMS takes over
The goal is not to turn employees into paramedics.
It is to give them the knowledge and confidence to act during the minutes before paramedics arrive.
CPR Training for Florida Workplaces
In-Pulse CPR provides hands-on CPR, AED, BLS, and First Aid training throughout Florida.
Public class locations serve communities including:
- Tampa
- Brandon
- Wesley Chapel
- Land O’ Lakes
- Lakeland
- Bradenton
- Crystal River
- Clermont
- Fort Myers
View Upcoming Florida CPR Classes
Businesses, healthcare organizations, schools, churches, and other groups can also schedule private on-site CPR and First Aid training.
Learn About On-Site CPR Training
Charles Morgan’s survival started with a coworker who knew enough to act.
Whether your workplace is in Tampa, Brandon, Wesley Chapel, Lakeland, Fort Myers, or elsewhere in Florida, the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest may belong to the people already in the room.
Being prepared matters.
Updated September 2026: This article has been revised using contemporary reporting on Charles Morgan’s December 2010 cardiac arrest and rescue in West Palm Beach. Medical information has also been updated to reflect the 2025 American Heart Association CPR and post-cardiac-arrest guidelines.
