First Aid Corps

Back in August, Karen Henderson, a Walmart employee noticed two shoplifters leaving the Miami Gardens store and she ran after them into the parking lot to retrieve the items.

On her way back to the store she collapsed.

Fortunately, Sgt. Jorge Yero, an off duty Miami Dade officer, was working nearby and ran to get his defibrillator.

Yero shocked her twice, started chest compressions, and eventually Henderson began to breathe again.

“I wasn’t thinking,” said Sgt. Yero. “I was just doing what we are trained to do and thank God I had the AED with me and I was at the right time at the right place.”

Henderson has no memory of the whole ordeal. All she remembers is a dream in which she saw long lost relatives at her childhood home.

“The door was cracked and there was this sunset light,” recalled Henderson. “The light drew me to the room and when I went to the room, I went to push the door open and the door closed back.”

She said her grandmother and other relatives told her to go home and that’s when she woke up and returned to life. Despite the ordeal, Henderson said she’s eager to return to work.

“If I could I would,” she said. “I don’t have no regrets no regrets thousands and thousands of shoplifters, I have no regrets.”

At 6:45 a.m. on Dec. 23, one of our Tada car dealership part-time employees, Donald, suffered a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest.

He’d been resting in the customer lounge when another employee, Suz-Ann, happened to walk past and noticed him slumped over.

Suz-Ann thought Donald was asleep and tried to rouse him, but he didn’t respond.

When she realized Donald wasn’t breathing, she immediately summoned one of our service advisers, Steve, who’d arrived early that morning to finish some paperwork.

We have six employees trained in the automated external defibrillator program, and 12 who have taken the Level 3 St. John Ambulance course in first aid and CPR. As luck would have it, Steve happens to be one of those trained to use a defibrillator.

Two years ago, we purchased a defibrillator after our health and safety committee made us aware of the benefits of having one on-site.

Steve applied CPR on Donald and asked Suz-Ann to call 911. The dispatcher gave her detailed instructions about using the defibrillator. She relayed these to Steve, who then used the defibrillator to resuscitate Donald and restart his heart.

An ambulance showed up shortly afterward and took Donald to the hospital, where he spent several weeks recuperating. Remarkably, he is expected to make a full recovery.

Both Suz-Ann and Steve showed great poise and courage in a stressful situation. They later admitted that this was a life-altering experience for them.

Story told by Mr Ron Loveys, Tada President

Doug Paisley says he was simply in the right place at the right time when he helped give CPR to a man who was having a heart attack before his son’s concert Saturday at Intrust Bank Arena.

Doug Paisley the Saviour

A longtime volunteer firefighter and EMT, Paisley said he noticed an arena employee on the floor in a service hallway and performed CPR before paramedics arrived.

He was just about to use an automated external defibrillator — or AED — when paramedics took over.

“I had the AED open, ready to attach it,” Paisley said Tuesday. “I kind of backed off and let them use theirs.”

Paisley credited another arena employee with helping him assist the man. He was adamant that it was a team effort.

Cotter said paramedics “got a pulse back” and transported the man to a hospital.

“If the man’s life was saved, it was because a lot of things came together,” he said. “There’s nothing heroic about this. Heroic is when you’re standing on the front lines in Afghanistan or Iraq. … It was definitely a good thing to walk away from.”

Ellen Davis, a 69-year-old Zillah grandmother and substitute schoolteacher, collapsed about 6 a.m in West Valley Walmart on Nov. 27, the busy shopping day known as Black Friday.

Almost immediately she was surrounded by help.

Off-duty nurses and firefighters who were shopping, a police officer working store security and Walmart employees all pitched in.

Some of them performed CPR.

They kept Davis alive until the ambulance arrived nine minutes later.

Her heart was revived with an electric shock en route to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.

One worker ran to fetch a first aid kit while other workers formed a human chain to give the rescue workers room to move.

Stephanie Pruett, a Walmart employee who performed the first chest compressions on Davis.

Some of the rescuers include :

Sgt. Mike Henne of the Yakima Police Department, who was working as private security for Walmart and performed CPR.

Tara Prescott, an off-duty Memorial Hospital registered nurse who performed CPR.

Ed Vertrees, an off-duty Yakima Training Center firefighter who performed CPR.

Sara Wisner, an off-duty registered nurse, who helped keep Davis’ airway open during CPR and helped ambulance workers keep a tight seal on a respirator bag.

As far as she can tell, Davis has fully recovered from the incident, though she has a stent in her heart and her family teases her about brain damage.

“I am just about normal as far as that goes, but that’s not saying a lot,” she said with a laugh.

She appreciated all her rescuers’ efforts, but they didn’t surprise her.

“A lot of people, more than you realize, are willing to help people in any way they can,” Davis said.

Gordon Crozier of North River went into cardiac arrest during the second period of his grandson’s Atom ‘A’ hockey game at the APM Centre.

Steve Stapleton the Saviour

Three spectators at the game quickly scooted into action.

Steve Stapleton, 59, of Charlottetown was among the impromptu trio that came to Crozier’s aid.

Trained in CPR (he had his most recent refresher course just last year), Stapleton started performing CPR after Crozier “started turning blue” and a pulse could not be found.

Stapleton did chest compressions on Crozier, a long-time friend, as another man blew air into Crozier’s lungs.

One of those who sprang to help Crozier was cameraman Steve Stepleton of CBC Charlottetown.

While Stapleton performed CPR for “what seemed likes hours” but in reality was more like five minutes, a woman named Rizpah MacPhee ran to get the rink’s defibrillator.

‘”We gave Gordon one jolt and he came around,” Stapleton said. “Then we kept administering the CPR, monitoring his breathing and watching for a pulse, and we just did that, with help from the others, until the EMS arrived and took him to hospital.”

“I don’t know if the ambulance could have got here fast enough for the person to survive, but the defibrillator did its job,” Donna Butler, APM Centre manager, said Monday.

Crozier was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Wade Crozier later reported that his father was resting comfortably at the QEH. Wade offered “many thanks to all who helped out as without your help and the defibrillator at the rink, this would be a very different message.”

Stapleton, a soft-spoken and humble man, wasn’t too eager to be pegged as a hero.

“It wasn’t just me,” he said of the quick response to a life-threatening situation. I was just a part of it. And thank God Gordon is still alive. I have known Gordon for years.”

Steve Stapleton believes everybody should have CPR training.

“You hope you never have to use it but at least if something happens, you know how to use it and it could save somebody’s life,” he said.

Donald Self said on New Year’s Eve he was working out at the Sunbury YMCA when he collapsed.

His heart stopped and so did his breathing.

“I just blacked out. I didn’t hear feel or had no senses at all,” said Self.

Someone found Self on the floor and pulled the emergency cord for help.

YMCA workers Lori Bohner and Nancy Shipe were there that day.

“It kind of automatically kicks in and you know what needs to be done and you just do it. Afterward you kind of get noodle kneed for a while. You think about it afterwards but we have quite a happy ending,” said Bohner.

“I was trained but never put it in action. Now I know I can do it if I have to,” said Shipe.

They and an off-duty officer jumped into action, using a defibrillator on Self and performing CPR.

Self was taken to Geisinger Medical Center where a mini defibrillator was placed in his chest.

“I’m thankful that I was there I wished it hadn’t happen but if I had to anywhere I’m glad it was there,” added Self.

“The proper words to say are thanks. I do appreciate what they did,” said Self.

Brett Flanagan and Kendra Hicok, a restaurant manager and server at The Grill at Quail Creek, were honored at a Green Valley Fire District board meeting for saving the life of a World War II veteran who had a heart attack in the restaurant in October.

Flanagan says his co-worker, who was first on the scene, assessed the situation and determined that the man’s heart had stopped.

They used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), which administers an electric shock, to revive the victim, who is now recovering.

GVFD’s administrative chief Katie Sayre said many businesses and churches in Green Valley are equipped with AEDs.

Sandra Houghton, a member of CUPE 905, was working her usual night shift on Monday, November 16 at Georgina Civic Centre when the town’s deputy clerk rushed out of a committee of adjustment meeting to ask if she knew how to use the defibrillator, or AED, located on site.

“I went into the council chambers and assessed the situation,” said Houghton, who had been trained to use the device just over a year ago. “Some members of council and of the public were trying to assist a gentleman in distress.”

Houghton opened the AED case and got to work.

By the time York Region paramedics arrived, she had revived the man – and saved his life.

“I want to let everybody know, to tell employers, that it is so important to get this training and to have the AED in the workplace or other public sites,” Houghton says. “It would make the world a better place.”

Houghton’s union agrees.

“We encourage our members to take this kind of training when it is offered to them,” said Derek Bakshi, president of CUPE 905. “Public employees are the people who are on site on a regular basis, who know what equipment is available and how to use it.”

Jerry Davidson, David Feitelberg and Mike Wilson didn’t expect a call for heroics when they headed out to play golf with their friend Bob McKenzie on Sept. 29.

Bob Mckenzie (seated) the Survivor

When McKenzie suddenly collapsed on the third green, the three men summoned help, performed CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) and guided emergency responders to the scene.

Another man who rose to meet the challenge was nearby groundskeeper Kurtis Buyze, who ran back to the clubhouse to get a phone and returned with a B.C. Ambulance Service dispatcher on the line. The dispatcher offered invaluable assistance by guiding the group through their CPR procedure over the phone, Feitelberg said.

“The detailed expert advice gave us the assurance to continue what we were doing until the paramedics arrived.”

Buyze was amazed at the prompt response by local emergency crews.

“By the time I got back, I was only doing CPR for a minute or so before first responders and paramedics got there. I think we’re pretty lucky to live in a community like that.”

Following a shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED) administered by emergency personnel on the scene, McKenzie’s heart recovered a viable rhythm and he was transported to Lady Minto Hospital for further treatment and assessment.

“I don’t remember much of the incident, but I’m feeling pretty good now apart from sore ribs,” McKenzie said.

“I was truly blessed to be with my great friends who knew what to do — CPR — and they did it with the greenskeeper’s help,” said McKenzie.

St. John’s Catholic School interim Principal Jim Milne was at a meeting about construction on a new school connected to the church.

Renee Langenwalter the Saviour

That’s when contractor Don Bernhagen suddenly leaned over, collapsing to the floor.

“He was breathing, but it was really labored,” Milne said. “He was turning really blue in the face, almost purple.”

After calling 911, a volunteer started CPR while Milne darted across the street to the school to get its defibrillator.

Seeing St. John’s School receptionist Renee Langenwalter, who had been trained in using AEDs, Milne asked her to help.

She used the AED – automated external defibrillator – before Bernhagen was eventually taken to MeritCare Hospital in Fargo and later released.

“I heard the start of the meeting and that was it,” said Bernhagen, a 59-year-old West Fargo father of two.

Bernhagen doesn’t remember anything after the heart attack until waking up at the hospital. But he said he’s grateful for the quick-thinking staff and the school’s AED.

“It saved my life – no doubt about it,” said Bernhagen, a contractor with Gast Construction and Crane Service in Wahpeton.

“It was extremely easy,” Langenwalter said, adding that neither she nor the school staff has ever had to use the AED. “And I hope I never have to again.”