Photo By Daniel DeAngelis | Seven NNSY personnel were awarded the Secretary of the Navy’s Civilian Service...... read more read more
It was a stormy Monday afternoon when three Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) employees rode in their vehicle toward the waterfront. Everything was panning out to be a relatively normal workday for the vehicle’s three occupants; however, anything can change in the blink of an eye. As one employee showed noticeable signs of a cardiac arrest, Code 361 Painter’s Shop (Shop 71) Gerald Allen and Richard Fourcher knew they had to spring into action to save the life of their coworker.
Fourcher pulled up to the industrial area gate and immediately flagged the guards for medical assistance. Emergency response raced against the clock, the first one on the scene being the police team led by Police Captain and Watch Commander Bryan Ainsworth and Police Officer David Jester. It was quickly determined that the employee was not responsive and would need an automated external defibrillator (AED), a mechanical device that can analyze the heart’s rhythm and deliver an electric shock to help re-establish that rhythm. Ainsworth raced to retrieve the AED from the precinct while Fourcher and Jester worked together to stabilize the individual with chest compressions and protect him from the weather conditions outside. Once the AED was in hand, both Jester and Fourcher set up the automated AED, delivering the shock that ultimately re-established the employee’s heart rhythm while the fire department and emergency medical technicians (EMT) arrived on scene to take over, including Lieutenant Daryl Clements, and Firefighters/Paramedics Matthew Norville and Michael Tate. Within minutes, the employee was stabilized and heading to a local medical facility to receive further attention.
It took immediate action and superior performance to ensure this employee’s life was saved, and though it seemed the elements were stacked against them, these employees and emergency responders came together as ONE TEAM to get the job done. “It really seemed like everything was going against us that day, especially with the weather causing difficulties in addressing the employee in the vehicle,” said Allen. “But that didn’t stop the team from stepping up to help our fallen teammate.”
Fourcher had previously worked as an instructor for health care providers, a volunteer firefighter, and EMT and was all-too-familiar with the signs of cardiac arrest and knew what needed to be done. “These types of situations are quick and anything can change in the blink of an eye,” he said. “I have had years of experience learning how to respond in these sorts of situations so when we noticed the signs I knew we had to hit the ground running to keep our coworker with us.” Alongside Jester, who was also well-trained in these first aid techniques, Fourcher was able to keep the employee stabilized until paramedics were on scene to take over. It was because of their knowledge and skills in these sorts of situations that they were able to quickly assess that an AED was needed on scene.
“Within less than a minute of that AED being turned on, it delivered the shock that ultimately helped in ensuring the life of that employee was saved,” said NNSY Fire Protection, Prevention, and Life Safety Department (Code 1128) Shipyard Fire Marshal Shane Byrne who leads the program for AEDs within the shipyard. “AEDs are passive devices, sort of like insurance. We have approximately 95 total AEDs available across NNSY’s platforms, including all remote locations such as Naval Foundry and Propeller Center in Philadelphia and Naval Submarine Base in Kings Bay, Georgia. Of those, 60 of them are located within the shipyard proper and available for anyone to use. They are there as a 'just in case'. In this instance, the AED was ultimately needed and was used to help save a life.”
The team members involved were awarded the Secretary of the Navy’s Civilian Service Achievement Medal for meritorious achievement and superior performance during a ceremony Aug. 24.
“To even have this opportunity to see our teammate recover is due to your rapid response in noticing that something was wrong with one of our own and helping where you could,” said Shipyard Commander Capt. Dianna Wolfson. “You all saw your teammate suffering, questioned it, and immediately jumped into action. It took decisive actions to save his life and I’m forever grateful for all of your heroic efforts.”
Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Servicers Assistant Fire Chief James Watson III added, “A huge congrats to all of you on a job well-done. I can’t emphasize enough how important our public access AED program is here at the shipyard. These employees were able to see the situation firsthand, taking decisive action to engage and act when someone was in need. With the AED in hand, they were able to take the steps needed in those most critical moments to help ensure a more positive outcome.”
“It’s really awesome that the team was able to come together and utilize the device to help a teammate in need,” said Byrne. “I hope more folks across our shipyard are able to familiarize themselves with the AEDs, especially with learning where they are located in case of emergency. They are fully automatic and designed for anyone to be able to use in a pinch so even if they aren’t trained in first aid like those in this particular case. In an emergency, seconds count and having the tools needed and ready to go will greatly improve the outcome.”
For more information on the AED program at NNSY, email shane.byrne@navy.mil, brent.blasco@navy.mil, and malcolm.tabor@navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 10.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2021 07:07 |
| Story ID: | 406816 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 233 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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