Four Airmen use first aid to save Subway employee

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joshua Edwards
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
SAN ANGELO, Texas --  Four Airmen came together and performed first aid to help stabilize a man they had never met at the Subway on North Koenigheim Street here Feb. 23.

Before checking into work, a local Subway employee lost consciousness and required medical attention.

"It was a normal day and I was out doing homework at Starbucks," said Tech. Sgt. Patrick Baughman, 316th Training Squadron training specialist. "When I looked up, I noticed the barista was looking behind me out the window; I turned around, and I noticed that someone was lying still over in the patch of grass by Subway."

That's when Baughman and 2nd Lt. Brooke Obrien-Meza, 2nd Lt. Matthew Barnett and 2nd Lt. Aaron Williams, 315th Training Squadron students, ran across the street to provide medical attention to a Subway employee.

"Initially, I was kind of shocked," said Baughman. "If it were me, I'd want someone to help. When I got there, my hands were shaking, and I was terrified he wouldn't have a pulse or wasn't breathing. I felt relieved when I saw his stomach rising."

When the four Airmen got to him, they checked his vitals, called 911 and asked his coworkers about any prior medical conditions.

"The basic things are the most important," said Staff Sgt. Brandon Waithe, 316th TRS instructor. "Look, listen and feel for breathing. If the casualty isn't breathing, establish an airway. If there is bleeding, apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. Simple steps like this will do a lot to increase the survivability of an individual."

While under the services member's care, the employee had two seizures. The service members remembered their training and made sure his airway was clear. They also put him in the recovery position and stabilized him until medics arrived.

"I felt a lot better knowing he was stable when he left and they didn't have to put on the lights," said Baughman. "It was a relief knowing that he was with them and was going to be taken care of."

Baughman added that he tried to do what he remembered in a previous self-aid and buddy care training session where Waithe taught him.

SABC is an annual Air Force training session which teaches individuals how to respond to a variety of first aid scenarios to include burns, shock management, splinting and more.

"We learn SABC in order to save life and limb," said Waithe. "Sometimes people get annoyed that they have to do SABC once a year, but the training is relevant to everyday life. Whether it is yourself, your family or your friends, we all have been exposed to injuries. What happened with Tech. Sgt. Baughman is a perfect example of how to use SABC principles in the real world."

Col. Brendan Harris, 17th Training Group Commander, expressed his pride in what these four individuals did that day.

"We're fortunate these well-trained, quick-thinking, engaged Airmen were in the right place at the right time to save someone's life, and we're proud that they were successful in doing so," said Harris. "Goodfellow's Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and civilians aren't just very good at their technical roles and responsibilities; we also work very hard to ensure our personnel are also good citizens for our great nation."