Thank you for helping us celebrate 125 years of saving lives - at work, home and play!
November & December Recipients - Jeff Tremblett and Albert Humby
On August 19, 2007, in Summerville Bonavista Bay, Jeff Tremblett teamed with Albert Humby and used his first aid skills to save lives. Mr. Tremblett was travelling route 235 when he noticed skid marks on the road. He stopped to investigate. Mr. Humby, a local resident, was alerted by sounds of screeching tires and yelling and went to assist. A vehicle had left the road and was upside down in water. One of the occupants had managed to free himself. He told them that there were others trapped inside. Without hesitation or thought for their own safety, Mr. Tremblett and Mr. Humby immediately entered the water working together, the two men managed to gain access to the vehicle. An infant in a car seat was immediately passed to Mr. Tremblett who carried the unconscious casualty to shore and began CPR. Mr. Tremblett continued until the baby began to breath again. He then administered emergency first aid for hypothermia. Re-entering the water he joined Mr. Humby and helped the occupants from the submerged vehicle until all but the driver remained trapped. Continuing their effort, they finally freed the driver and pulled him to shore. The driver was unconscious, not breathing and without pulse. The two men began CPR. They continued life-saving intervention until emergency services arrived. Regretfully, despite their best efforts, the driver did not survive. Mr. Tremblett and Mr. Humby are to be commended for their selfless actions, quick response and knowledge and use of first aid in saving and attempting to save lives.
(Note: Both Mr. Tremblett and Mr. Humby received Life Saving Awards for their acts of bravery at the St. John Ambulance Annual Investiture Ceremony on September 30th, 2008.)
September & October Recipients - Jessica Freake and Matt Cardolis
On behalf of the family of Gordon Breen, I wish to submit the story below highlighting two extraordinary people who performed CPR on him, Ms. Jessica Freake and Mr. Matt Cardolis. While I was not there to witness this, my brother Larry and his wife Joan as well as dad's team mates and ballgame spectators were there. I've talked to many people and will give you summation of the incident.
Three months ago on June 23 while pitching at a softball game, my father dropped to the ground. It was immediately apparent that something was wrong as he was unresponsive, he was not breathing and had no pulse. My brother managed to maintain some calm and took control of the scene ordering one person to call 911 and shouting to ask if anyone knew CPR. A player on another field, Matt Cardolis, and a spectator, Jessica Freake, heard the call and saw the commotion. Knowing CPR, both ran over to help. Jessica began the compressions and Matt administered the rescue breathing. Between the two of them and my brother Larry, they continued the lifesaving CPR and checked for vitals regularly until emergency help arrived about 18 minutes later. My father was defibrillated at the scene and rushed to the hospital. Over the following days and weeks his condition slowly improved.
Without question, the efforts of Jessica and Matt (and my brother Larry), are what led to dad's survival...A paramedic from the scene stated that because quality CPR was performed there were electrical impulses for emergency help to defibrillate and that these two bystanders saved dad's life. It is with a debt of gratitude from my heart that I submit this story and thank these individuals on behalf of our entire family.
Jane Healey
August Recipient - Donna Hillier
I was waiting for my ride with my brother after a circus show was over and a young girl about 7 years old came up to us in hysterics. She said, "Help! Help! My Mommy fell down and she's not moving!" When she lead us to her Mother, she was face down in what looked like a pool of blood and vomit. She wasn't breathing. With our St. John Ambulance training we knew what to do to help. My brother took the girl aside to calm her down and call an ambulance. I immediately recognized that the lady was unresponsive and unblocked her airway. She started breathing within seconds. She had a medical condition for which she hadn't taken medication. She survived thanks to her daughter's quick action and our first aid training.
July Recipient - Anonymous
In 2003 I was traveling with a group of friends on the highway heading for a conference in Corner Brook. On route we stopped our vehicle to meet up with another vehicle traveling with us. I took this opportunity to stretch my legs not realizing what was about to happen...as recounted from witnesses, I had a grand mal seizure and fell backwards tumbling down a 12 foot bank. Unconscious and bleeding from a severe head injury my only hope for survival was with the people I was traveling with. Hours later I woke to find myself lying in the Clarenville Hospital with a nurse explaining to me that I had a severe hypoglycemic unawareness attack...having Type 1 diabetes for almost 15 years, I had never experienced any major health complications from my condition. I learned that while I was unconscious two of the people traveling with me had received first aid training from St. John Ambulance and were giving me emergency medical care for 25 minutes until help arrived. I can't thank these people enough for the quick action they took and for having the knowledge to save my life.
June Recipient - Kim Durant, Mt. Pearl
I received my first aid training from St. John Ambulance in 2007 (4th or 5th time taking the course) as part of employee training. While at work, I heard the screeching of tires and then a loud crash. I looked out my office window and saw that two cars had collided. One had the side crushed in and the other had damage to the front and air bag activated. After calling 911, I left my office and went to the scene. While on the phone I observed the driver exiting the car (the one that had been hit), going around to check on the front passenger, and then proceeding to the rear passenger. I did not see anyone in the back, however the driver was frantically pacing in front of the rear, driver side door. Once I go there, I observed a mid-twenties male passenger, in the back seat, apparently injured from the impact. Another gentleman who identified himself as a first aider as well assisted in the assessment of the man. I stabilized the casualties head and neck, observed that he was breathing, although unresponsive to vocal and touch stimulation. Appearance of shock was visible and the other first aider assessed for other injuries and covered him in a shirt as his limbs felt cold. We stayed with the casualty until the EMTs arrived at which point the man was removed from the vehicle on a body board and was responsive. I told the EMT what I had observed and time frames involved and they transported the casualty to hospital. Without a doubt it is because of my first aid training with St. John Ambulance that I knew what to do and how to respond in this emergency.
May Recipient - Ivy Acreman, Dildo
I did a first aid course in Mary's Harbour with instructor Cathy White that helped save my daughters life. My daughter was two years old and was eating a jaw-breaker candy with her sister Bonnie who was nine. While playing with her sister I noticed that she started to make funny faces and began to choke. I ran and grabbed her from behind and pressed under her ribs...out popped a jaw breaker. I quickly realized that she was still choking so I grabbed her again and pressed...out popped another jaw-breaker! I said "Bonnie, is there any more?" she said "no". I don't know what would have happened that day had I not taken a St. John Ambulance course. Because of my training, I knew what to do to save my daughter. Thank you St. John Ambulance.
April Recipient - David Baldwin, St. John's
My name is not important...two years ago on a rain/sleet filed night I was driving from Mt. Pearl to the east end of St. John's...the temperature seemed to be dropping as I turned up my car's heat. As I drove past the Portugal Cove intersection, I saw one SUV in the median sideways on the road with front sticking into the snow bank and another skidded off the road. As I stopped, I could see no less than five people on the road shivering and I asked them if they needed assistance. Since it was too dangerous to stay there I drove them to the other side and help calmed them. While we called 911 two more cars skidded off and consequently two more people came to my van. I had some blankets to help keep them warm as we waited for help to arrive. How did my St. John Ambulance training help me? I kept calm...assessed the situation...got out of harm's way...briefed emergency then followed up with paramedics. No one says thank you. They don't have to...you just do what is expected of you. My advice is to know your limits. A few days after this occurred, I saw one of the people at a coffee shop...they wanted to know my name...I said "my name doesn't matter...but it's David"...he shook my hand...no other words were needed...volunteers...we are here to help..not take credit.
March Recipient - Melvin Lambe, Little Bay
I have been a volunteer firefighter with the Marystown fire department for over twenty years, during which time I have taken a St. John Ambulance first aid course every three years. A number of years ago, about twenty, I had just completed a St. John Ambulance first aid course when I was in Sobeys eating lunch and noticed a family that seemed to be in distress. I saw a little girl about three or four years old grasping at her throat, turning blue and her mother and aunt were asking for help. I identified myself as a first aider and offered to try and help. I took the girl, who was big for her age, and proceeded to do the Heimlich maneuver on her. After several attempts I lowered her to the floor continued what I was doing and decided to make another attempt – to everyone’s relief I was successful! I advised the mother to take the child to the doctor as I had to use a lot of force to get the object up…it turned out to be part of a wiener as the child was eating a hotdog. My reward came years later while at a funeral home in Burin. A young lady around 23 years old asked if I was Melvin Lambe and then proceeded to tell me that she was the little girl that I had saved! I don’t know if I saved her life but I am sure that there wasn’t much life in her little body at the time I assisted her.
I have many stories concerning first aid and the times I have been able to help people because of this training. Before I joined the fire department I had completed a St. John Ambulance first aid course and I was also a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in Marystown for a number of years. People who are injured sure are happy to see you when you tell them you have St. John Ambulance training and are going to help them. To me, to help people is very rewarding and the reason that I volunteer! Thanks to St. John Ambulance I feel confident when I assist people.
February Recipient - William Jankowski, Eastport.
One morning at work I was cleaning machinery at the plant when some of the cleaning solution splashed up under my glasses and landed right in my eye (chemical burn). I went over to the eye wash station, flushed my eye three times then went to the first aid station. I soaked some gauze with saline and proceeded immediately to the Eastport medical clinic. Thanks to my St. John Ambulance training I was able to stay calm and collected to render First Aid to my self and get medical attention immediately.
January Recipient - Darren Mills, Botwood.
My mother was choking on a piece of food and tried to get to the room where I was located. I heard her scratching the wall and I went to investigate. I found her unable to talk and she was motioning to her throat. Immediately I remembered training I had received from St. John Ambulance while I was in Sea Scouts about performing abdominal thrusts and I was able to dislodge the piece of meat that was blocking her airway. I have since retrained twice for my first aid with local instructors of St. John Ambulance - I have found many times that I use even basic techniques in my everyday life! My advice is to get trained, in even emergency first aid, especially for parents or individuals involved in volunteer and sporting groups and that are active in the community.
Thank you for helping us celebrate 125 years of saving lives - at work, home and play!