When I heard the January meeting of the full Honolulu City Council had been abruptly sent into recess, I was as concerned as anyone. Those who were watching the broadcast feed of the proceedings knew something had happened, but they weren’t exactly sure what.
As it turned out, a man had gone into an apparent cardiac arrest while waiting to testify — something that would have been distressing to witness for almost anybody nearby. But in an incredible stroke of luck, the room was filled with people who knew exactly what to do in that situation.
Deputy Chief Rade Vanic, of the Honolulu Police Department, and Dr. Jim Ireland, the director of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, immediately came to the man’s aid, while quick-thinking City Council staffer Sommerset Yamamoto called for an ambulance and signaled Chair Tommy Waters to stop the hearing.
Within moments, an automated external defibrillator (AED) had been deployed and Honolulu Fire Chief Sheldon Hao was doing chest compressions. Even though it only took a few minutes for an ambulance to show up, the man had been resuscitated by the time paramedics arrived — his life had been saved, without a doubt, because so many people in the room acted heroically and knew exactly what to do and when to do it.
It doesn’t take an incredible stroke of luck, or a room full of our bravest first responders, to save a life. Here’s more on how to take action and learn CPR:
Take A Free CPR Training Course at HFD Headquarters
The Honolulu Fire Department offers free CPR-AED training on the third Saturday of every month at the HFD Auditorium on South Street in Kakaʻako between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. — no registration is necessary, and the classes are for public awareness only, as the department does not provide any kind of certification at the end of the program.
Request A Group CPR Training Session For Your Community
Organizations that are interested in organizing group training sessions for community CPR awareness can request a training session with the Honolulu Fire Department by clicking here and selecting the “Community CPR” option on the form: https://fire.honolulu.gov/requests-for-information/
You can also call (808) 723-7015 or send an e-mail to hfdcpr@honolulu.gov to request more information from HFD’s Training and Research Bureau.
Learn More About The Basics of CPR
The Honolulu Fire Department maintains a website full of resources for CPR training and life-saving wellness tips. That website is available here: https://fire.honolulu.gov/fire-and-life-safety/community-cpr-and-awareness/
Educate Yourself About Medical Emergencies
The Honolulu Emergency Services Department, which runs the City’s ambulance and Emergency Medical Services operation, has some helpful tips on their website about to do in the event of a medical emergency: https://emergencyservices.honolulu.gov/emergency-medical-services/prepare-for-a-911-medical-emergency/
—PAU—