ROCK SPRINGS — Three Rock Springs Civic Center employees and two patrons received Life-Saving Awards at the Rock Springs Council meeting tonight for saving a patron who suffered from cardiac event on April 24.
According to a letter to the Rock Springs City Council, the incident happened during a rowing class at the Civic Center when patron Phillip Putnam experienced a cardiac event causing him to slouch over and become unresponsive.
Rock Springs Civic Center Superintendent J.J. Syvrud said when the incident happened the employees leaned on their previous trainings and knew what to do. All of the Civic Center employees go through situation emergency training as well as Red Cross CPR/ AED and First Aid as a requirement of their employment.
The letter states that employee Tamara Washington quickly called for help and requested employee Michelle DiTullio call 911. Employee Clint McJunkin cleared the pool and responded to the rowing room where he found two bystanders, Krysta Padilla and Josie Ibarra, performing CPR on Putnam.
McJunkin then took over the rescue breathes, while Washington attached the AED and the AED administered the shock. They continued to care for the man until emergency responders arrived at the scene.
“The training was absolutely critical to this outcome,” Syvrud said. “Tamara, Michelle, and Clint had decades of training for these situations before actually dealing with one. Having that experience makes a difference.”
Due to all five of these residents quick actions, Putnam only had to stay in the hospital for eight days.
“I don’t know the specifics about what exactly happened to the victim, but without the quick response by not only our staff, but also the bystanders involved, I am not sure he would have lived,” Syvrud said.
About the Life Saving Award
The “Life-Saving Award” is presented when residents take action to help in a medical emergency, Rock Springs Fire Department Chief Wamsley said.
“In this instance, people at the Civic Center noticed a fellow patron suddenly slump over the exercise equipment and then discovered that he was unresponsive,” Chief Wamsley said. “The award is usually presented with the assent of the person who was saved by those actions.”
The Leadership Committee of the Rock Springs Fire Department receives notice from the Engine Company who responded to the emergency that there was a successful intervention by members of the public on behalf of a person experiencing a sudden medical emergency. This information is vetted and corroborated with the patient and permission obtained from the patient to present the award, Wamsley explained.
“These awards are given out as needed when citizens act quickly and decisively to help their community in time of need,” Chief Wamsley said.
“I cannot over-emphasize what a great community we live in,” Chief Wamsley said. “This save is just another example of how our residents look out for the welfare of each other. This is the latest example of the caring and proactive nature of our community and the values that identify us.”
Syvrud agreed with Chief Wamsley saying “the actions of the staff show their professionalism and commitment to their roles. The actions of the bystanders show how close-knit the group that attends the class our victim is.”
“There is a ‘family vibe’ that exists at the Civic Center between staff and bystanders and I think our patrons trust us, and if we need them Civic Center patrons will help us with almost any problem,” Syvrud said.
As for the AED’s, the City of Rock Springs is making sure they are replaced when they need to be so they are ready should another cardiac event occur.
