Photo By Staff Sgt. Dustin Biven | Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel Webb, (left), a native of Clarksville, Tennessee, and the...... read more read more
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GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - Two U.S. airmen currently deployed to eastern Europe recently helped a Polish woman who suffered a medical emergency while on a train in Poland.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel E. Webb and Senior Airman Angelo Flores, both staff weather officers assigned to 7th Expeditionary Weather Squadron and working with the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, were on a train bound for Zielona Gora, Poland, March 3, 2018, when a young woman standing behind them collapsed.
“There was a teenager standing behind me, and at one point, I noticed she was not standing anymore,” explained Webb, who was on a two-day pass with Flores. “I looked and she was lying on the ground.”
Webb said training he received when he was an Air Force emergency medical technician gave him the skills needed to immediately render aid, but he modestly claims that “anybody would’ve helped in that situation.”
Although Webb could not speak Polish, he was able to reposition the unresponsive woman into a lifesaving position and direct Flores to gather a glass of water.
“I went to get water and started opening the windows to circulate air,” said Flores. “I got water and brought it to him as he worked on trying to get her conscious.”
A few minutes later, the woman regained consciousness and Webb gave her a sip of water.
“The train was hot and stuffy,” said Webb. “Flores started opening up a few of the windows, so I got her to cool off, got her to come around a little bit, and I got her to drink a little water.”
As the engineer stopped the train, Webb helped the woman to a bench and waited with her until an ambulance arrived.
Webb, a native of Clarksville, Tennessee, and Flores, from Sacramento, California, said they continued their trip to Zielona Gora, feeling like they did the right thing and thinking they would remain anonymous.
A week after the incident, an officer in their unit questioned the airmen regarding their involvement and notified them that another passenger on the train deduced they were U.S. military personnel.
The airmen’s surprise grew when they learned the stranger they had helped on the train was the daughter of a high-ranking retired Polish Army officer and that he wanted to personally thank them for their swift action on the train.
“When the girl’s father came to thank us, he told us his daughter has a history of heart problems,” said Flores. “Although it could’ve been the heat, but it also may have been something more serious and we didn’t know that at the time.”
Webb said the opportunity to meet a high-ranking Polish military officer was a surprise but felt anyone else in the same situation as him would’ve helped too.
“My initial thought was, "is this person okay, and what can I do to make it better'” said Webb.
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2018 05:32 |
| Story ID: | 269900 |
| Location: | GRAFENWOEHR, DE |
| Hometown: | ZAGAN, PL |
| Hometown: | ZIELONA GORA, PL |
| Hometown: | CLARKSVILLE, TN, US |
| Hometown: | FORT RILEY, KS, US |
| Hometown: | JUNCTION CITY, KS, US |
| Hometown: | MANHATTAN, KS, US |
| Hometown: | SACRAMENTO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | TOPEKA, KS, US |
| Hometown: | WITCHITA, KS, US |
| Web Views: | 1,470 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Airmen Save Life, Render Medical Aid on Train in Poland, by SSG Sharon Matthias, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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