Airman saves man's life with CPR less than one day after training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Hines
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  All servicemembers go through Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training. It's training that, when put into a real situation, can be the deciding factor between life and death.

Some might wonder if they will ever be called upon to perform CPR. For Staff Sgt. Eddie Ramirez, a battalion air liaison officer with the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Carson, Colo., that chance would soon arise.

Just 24-hours after receiving his CPR recertification, Sergeant Ramirez was going about his morning physical-training session Oct. 5, when he noticed a worker running frantically to the aid of a 79-year-old man. Bill, as Sergeant Ramirez knows him, often exercises at the same times he does. Bill was lying on the track when the worker rushed over.

"I immediately went over and asked the worker what was wrong," Sergeant Ramirez said. "I observed Bill and saw he was turning blue, with swelling in his face."

At that point, Sergeant Ramirez realized the people standing around him were hesitant to start CPR and might have been nervous about the situation.

"My training was still fresh in my mind, it was like muscle memory," he said.

Sergeant Ramirez took control.

"I flipped him over and pulled open his shirt and told the worker to start chest compressions while I started breaths," he said.

Another worker left to retrieve the first aid and automated external defibrillator kits while Sergeant Ramirez and the worker continued compressions and breaths to the man. They set up the AED and let the machine analyze the man's condition. After a shock was delivered, the man took one deep breath and stopped.

Sergeant Ramirez went right back to work.

"I wanted to make sure I was giving 30 good compressions while the other worker gave breaths," he said. "It's very different than practicing on a mannequin. It kind of freaked me out because you can feel and hear a clicking from the ribs and sternum. I was also surprised at how his chest went up after a breath."

Sergeant Ramirez also recalls feeling for a heartbeat.

"That can be odd as well, because the person is cold to the touch," he said.

A minute or two later, the man began taking choppy and short breaths on his own and Sergeant Ramirez checked his heartbeat again.

"He had a little pigmentation back into his face, but a really weak heartbeat," he said.

Sergeant Ramirez placed the man in the recovery position and placed towels under his head for support until the emergency medical technicians arrived a few minutes later.

"I know it was because I had just taken the refresher course that I was able to assist like I did," Sergeant Ramirez said. "I went back to my instructor and told him the story and thanked him for teaching the course."

There's no perfect substitute for performing CPR on a real person other than the mannequins provided in training.
"Take the class as seriously as you can, because you never know when you'll need to use it," Sergeant Ramirez said.

"I just heard Bill got out of the hospital yesterday and is going to be fine," he said. That is good news for Bill's family, Sergeant Ramirez and all those who run and teach CPR at Peterson Air Force Base, who heard about the event.

"We're not only proud of the individual, but as an Air Force member ... it's good to know our process is working," said Tech. Sgt. John Kortes, the acting director of the Peterson Health and Wellness Center and CPR instructor at Peterson AFB.

"We look at CPR as a simple, life-saving tool," Sergeant Kortes said. "To do something is so much better than doing nothing at all."
When the situation arises, Sergeant Kortes said to "remain calm and remember what we've taught you."

Tech. Sgt. Alyse Partridge, the life support program director for both the 21st and 50th Space Wings, said that anybody can be CPR certified as long as they have the strength to perform chest compressions and a desire to save a life.