DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Oct. 20, 2009) - Seven Daytona State College students and employees were honored this month for their life-saving response to emergency incidents as part of the Campus Safety Department’s annual Wall of Fame program.
The incidents occurred on two consecutive days this past May, when two campus employees went into cardiac arrest. On both occasions, a mix of students and employees rushed to the victim’s aid and, through the administration of CPR and an automated external defibrillator or AED, revived each victim’s pulse. Both have since recovered.
Among them was Student Activities Specialist Michael Phelan, who had collapsed in the college’s fitness center. “I learned that day how fragile everything is around us and how quickly it can be taken away from us,” he told the audience attending the award ceremony. “I was blessed by the grace of God that the people and equipment were in place to save me. The immediate CPR response and use of the AED is the only reason I am here today to thank my rescuers.”
An AED is an electronic device designed to deliver an electric shock to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. The AEDs are housed in a various buildings throughout Daytona State’s campuses and were purchased a few years ago as part of a joint program with Volusia County that was made possible through a $500,000 U.S. Department of Education Emergency Management for Higher Education grant. The grant also provided training to 200 students on how to effectively use the AED. Four of the rescuers being honored next week went through that training.
Those honored were Daytona State students Chris Cravotta, Jason Lewis, Andrew Selig and Jennifer Weaver. Employees honored were campus safety officers Richard Rosenthal and Gary Walsh, and Fitness Center Specialist John Tosi.
Mark O’Keefe of Volusia County EVAC also presented the rescuers with a Good Samaritan Certificate of Appreciation. He noted his agency responds to more than 500 cardiac arrests each year. “It truly takes a community to save a life,” he said. “These two events prove how vital those first few seconds are when someone suffers cardiac arrest.”
Daytona State’s Wall of Fame program recognizes students and college employees who have demonstrated exemplary behavior during times of crisis, or who have gone above and beyond the call of duty during a campus safety related matter.
For more information, please contact William Tillard, director, Campus Safety at (386) 506-4433, e-mail: tillarw@daytonastate.edu.
**images available upon request**
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Glyn Johnston, Vice President - Marketing, Communications & Events, (386) 506-4499, johnstg@DaytonaState.edu
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