Airmen save life using defibrillator

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jennifer Taylor
  • 552nd Air Control Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) --  Four Airmen saved an Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center employee’s life after he recently suffered a heart attack at the Tinker Annex gym.

Mario Martinez, a quality-assurance specialist at the center, went into cardiac arrest while playing racquetball with Tech. Sgt. Douglas Keller, a radar instructor with the 373rd Training Squadron.

Tech. Sgt. Allan George, a radar master with the 373rd Training Squadron, was watching from outside the racquetball court.

Senior Master Sgt. Dana Williamson, 552nd Operations Group superintendent, was walking by the court when he said he saw Mr. Martinez on the ground.

“I walked in the court and asked if I could help,” Sergeant Williamson said. “I took a look at him, felt for a pulse, and he did not have one. I listened for his respiration, and he was not breathing either.”

Sergeants Keller and George gave Mr. Martinez breaths while Sergeant Williamson began chest compressions.

Tech. Sgt. Marvin Lewis, a fitness and outdoor recreational instructor with the 72nd Services Division, was working at the front desk when he was told someone had a heart attack and to call 911. After seeing that CPR was being administered, he grabbed an automated external defibrillator.

A defibrillator delivers electricity to a person’s heart who is suffering from cardiac arrest, said Mashell Sourjohn, a health initiatives specialist with the American Heart Association.

“The electric shock delivered by an AED can stop the abnormal heart rhythm, allowing the heart to resume its normal beat and again circulate blood,” Ms. Sourjohn said.

Sergeant Lewis had been trained to use the defibrillator just days before the incident.

“I remember during the course thinking to myself, ‘I’ll never need to use this thing,’” Sergeant Lewis said. “That was the best 30 minutes of training I’ve ever received from the military.”

Sergeants Lewis and Williamson each placed a defibrillator paddle on Mr. Martinez. The AED checked for a heartbeat and did not detect one, so Sergeant Lewis shocked Mr. Martinez.

“Immediately after I administered the shock, the AED said, ‘Resume CPR’ and the others started up again,” Sergeant Lewis said.

Soon, Sergeant George said he felt a pulse.

“I stopped compressions and all of a sudden (Mr. Martinez) took two huge, deep breaths. It was like he was starved for oxygen,” Sergeant Williamson said. “The fire department showed up and put oxygen on him and a few minutes later the paramedics transported him to Midwest Regional Medical Center.”

“If it wasn’t for the well-trained men, (their) teamwork and the use of the defibrillator, (Mr. Martinez) would not be here today,” said Dr. Dan Donnell, chief medical director of the emergency department at Midwest Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Donnell said it is very important to start cardiac compressions on an individual who has had a heart attack.

“We all need to realize CPR is the place to start,” he said.

Hospital and American Heart Association officials held a ceremony at the hospital to allow Mr. Martinez to thank the men who saved his life.

“We were just doing our job,” Sergeant George said.

“I want to thank these guys from the bottom of my heart. They saw someone who needed help and immediately reacted to it,” Mr. Martinez said. “I also want a rematch. The score was nine to nine, and I want to finish that game.”

Sergeant Keller said he is ready for that rematch.