Monday September 23, 2019 ~ LANGFORD / COLWOOD
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Langford Fire Chief Chris Aubrey was one of three firefighters who just happened to be at Game 4 of the Mann Cup lacrosse best-of-seven series on Tuesday September 10.
Seamlessly, he went right into action with CPR when he saw another firefighter already doing chest compressions on a man in cardiac arrest in the lower level concourse area of The Q Centre ahead of the 7 pm game.
The 91-year-old man (a long-time Shamrocks fan who lived to celebrate the tale and ask about the welfare of his Shamrocks jersey that had to be cut off of his body during resuscitation) had walked a long way from the packed parking lot, which seems to have been a bit too much exertion. Using CPR and the AED unit that was on site at The Q Centre it was the fast skilled work of Chief Aubrey, Colwood volunteer firefighter Pat Seward, and Colwood career firefighter Lt Craig Twidale that together saved the man’s life.
“I’m ecstatic, to have been there at the right place at the right time, then to meet the family and to know what it means to them that our actions were able to help one of their family members,” Chief Aubrey told West Shore Voice News a few days later.
“That’s why I’m a firefighter. Whether on duty or at a Shamrocks game – that feeling and that need for firefighters to help doesn’t disappoint. I will remember that for the rest of my career. To help out, for the family to come over to the station, and taking the family photo. It’s why I do the job I do,” said Aubrey, who brings all of himself to the job.
Langford’s fire chief says he hopes that CPR and first aid — including the use of the AED equipment — can be taught in schools. He says that even brief exposure to the techniques of helping to save a life would ‘kick in’ and be helpful in any real situation that comes up. CPR and first aid training is widely available at a reasonable cost, says Aubrey. AEDs are installed at more locations all the time.
Firefighters endure a lot of stress in their work of rescuing people. Aubrey has lost track of the many times he has provided CPR, but can count “only on two hands” the number of people who survived after that.
==== NOTES:
This article was first published on page 6 in the September 13 to 17, 2019 weekend digest of West Shore Voice News
Link to Langford Fire Department webpage