Having a heart attack is never a good thing, but if it happens, obviously one of the best places to be is in a crowded public place.

Like a casino in Las Vegas. Security check-in at Sea-Tac. A courthouse in Dallas. A cardiologists’ convention in Orlando.

But on a golf course in rural Auburn?

Thanks to some quick-thinking actions from Washington National staff – not to mention the convenience of having Mountain View Fire and Rescue down the street – a local man was revived.

On this recent May morning, the man happened to be at the driving range, not far from the golf course’s office, when he collapsed. Fortunately, given the wide 120-acre, par-72, 7,300-yard nature of Washington National, the man was within quick reach, about 50 feet from the office of general manager Rolly Leonard.

“If he had been on a remote part of the course, everything would have been exponential as far as the response time goes. It wasn’t far … it was a good thing,” said Leonard, who grabbed a shoebox-sized, automated external defibrillator and raced to the scene. “By the time I went out the backdoor with the (AED), I heard the sirens from across the street. The timing of everything is about as good as it gets.”

By the time Leonard arrived, the man’s father and brother were administering CPR. The man started breathing after emergency personnel delivered one shock from an AED. Mountain View Fire and Rescue provided additional care until King County Medic One transported the coherent man to a hospital.

The man has since had surgery and is doing well, Leonard said.

If you’re going to have a heart attack, King County is a pretty good place to do it.

Washington National has several AEDs in service. The Auburn School District has an exemplary emergency response program, replete with the necessary equipment and a large contingent of CPR-trained staff and students.

It is not just a necessity, it is a requirement.

King County is one of the country’s gold standards of emergency cardiac care. Over the past two decades, Seattle consistently reported survival rates of 30 to 40 percent for witnessed ventricular fibrillation – about three times the national average.

Good leadership and common sense brought an emphasis to the call.

In Seattle, doctors approached receptive public officials. Police and fire departments were early partners, and as the program gathered momentum, businesses and other public facilities jumped on board.

There are more than 2,200 AEDs in King County, and more than half the population of King County has been trained in lifesaving skills over the years.

Having a staff trained for such emergencies is vital. Washington National and Leonard can attest to that. On one May morning, Rolly Leonard’s staff was ready.

“It was a good set of circumstances,” Leonard said.

A fortunate ending, actions not lost on the people who save lives for a living.

Tim Perciful, a department spokesman, said: “Mountain View Fire and Rescue would like to thank the friends and family, Washington National Golf Course, including Rolly Leonard and King County Medic One, for their help.”