Tag Archives: CPR

Fifteen Minutes of Courage: One Family’s Proof that CPR Training Saves Lives

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Debbie Vasquez (left) with her husband Phillip Vasquez (right). Photo by Mike Seely

In the early hours of September 9, Phillip Vasquez was getting ready for work at 4:30 a.m. when his routine suddenly shifted. Without warning, he collapsed. The sound of his fall jolted his wife, Debbie, awake. She rushed toward the sound in the bathroom and found her husband on the floor – unresponsive, not breathing and without a pulse.

It’s the moment no one ever expects. But it’s the moment Debbie had unknowingly prepared for over three decades.

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Hero Among Us: Vacaville Volunteer Firefighter Receives Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action 

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Vincent Hayes, a 20-year-old Vacaville volunteer firefighter, with his CEPA

20-year-old Vincent Hayes, a Vacaville volunteer firefighter, was presented with the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action (CEPA) by the American Red Cross on November 18 for his heroic actions of saving a man’s life while at “The Happiest Place on Earth” in early August of this year. 

As Vincent and his girlfriend boarded the Disneyland Railroad 30 minutes before midnight, there was a commotion that caught his attention. Another couple adjacent to the ride was laying a man down on the floor after asking if “he was ok”. 

Vincent instantly took action, hopped off the slow-moving train and ran towards the couple and the man who wasn’t ok. Once on the ground, he assessed the situation and checked for the man’s pulse. He was apneic, not breathing while unconscious, and pulseless. 

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A Significant Milestone for Training Services: 350 Students Certified in Adult CPR/AED in One Day

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Photo by Martin Gagliano – American Red Cross

On a typical Wednesday morning, having more than one hundred eighth graders seated on the auditorium floor might not seem out of the ordinary. However, witnessing them perform synchronized CPR maneuvers while learning to save lives is impressive. On October 22, the local Red Cross Training Services Team, in partnership with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Dozier-Libbey Medical High School (DLMHS), hosted a record-setting youth CPR/AED certification event for nearly 350 eighth-grade students over two 90-minute sessions at Antioch’s Park Middle School.

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