Luke firefighters, medics save life

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melanie Holochwost
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Although highly skilled with many hours of training under their belt, Luke Air Force Base firefighters don't get a lot of chances to practice their skills. Instead, most of their calls involve alarm activations, small fires, and other nonlife-threatening calls.

But, May 29 was a very different day. It was a day four firefighters and two medics had the chance to use their training and save a life.

David Givens, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron assistant fire chief, said his team had to respond to two emergencies at the same time that day.

"First, we sent firefighters out to Surprise to help with a local fire," he said. "Then, just a few minutes later, we received a phone call from a hysterical woman in base housing saying her (husband) was unresponsive."

Cyndi Belcher, 56th CES fire captain, said they rushed to the residence.

"When we arrived at the scene we found a 24-year-old active-duty male lying on a bed who appeared to already be dead," she said. "He wasn't breathing, he didn't have a pulse, and his skin looked gray and pale."

Ms. Belcher said although this type of emergency almost never happens on base, the team worked very well together and knew exactly what to do.

"We pulled him onto the floor and began CPR," she said. "Then, I inserted an artificial airway while Staff Sgt. Shella Valdez, 56th Medical Group medic, continued to perform chest compressions. Next, I inserted an IV and gave him fluids while we waited for the off-base ambulance to arrive."

Ms. Belcher said after just two rounds of CPR, he regained a pulse of 125.

"Sometimes we receive calls like this, but never without a pulse," Ms. Belcher said. "I have never seen anyone regain a pulse from CPR alone in my entire career. He was very lucky."

The entire team credits Staff Sgt. Anthony Shamblen, 56th CES Fire Prevention dispatcher, as doing the most important part in saving this man's life.

"Sergeant Shamblen was on the phone with three individuals at the same time," Mr. Givens said. "He was handling the fire in Surprise, speaking with the wife of the unresponsive Airman, and called in the off-base ambulance."

Mr. Givens said Sergeant Shamblen's quick dispatching was the first and most crucial step in saving this life.

"Within a couple of minutes, this man could have been brain-dead," he said. "But, thanks to our outstanding team of firefighters and medics, he survived."