By Josh Egbert, American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming Public Affairs
Last September, Paulina was running a marathon on the Regis University campus in Denver. After she finished the 5K, she heard someone yell that there was a man down. Paulina ran over to the man who was on the ground, unresponsive and not breathing.
Bleeding from the head with no pulse, Paulina immediately instructed a bystander to call 911. She then began chest compressions and rescue breathing. That’s when another lifesaver, Melissa Bowman, stepped in to help Paulina with CPR.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was then brought to the scene. That’s when Paulina cut away the man’s shirt and applied the pads. When the AED recommended a shock, she deployed the shock. Paulina and Melissa both continued CPR until police and EMS arrived on scene. The man, who was breathing on his own and had a pulse, was then transported to a nearby hospital.
For their heroic actions, Paulina and Melissa were recently awarded a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action. This award is given to individuals who step up in an emergency and help save or sustain a life.
For more than 100 years, the American Red Cross has been developing and offering training courses from First Air to Water Safety in hopes that there are always trained individuals nearby, ready to use their Red Cross skills during an emergency.
If you know someone who deserved to be recognized for helping save a life, nominate them today by visiting the Lifesaving website today.