St. John Ambulance first aid training paid off for French Creek Save-On-Foods employees during an emergency at their store in March.
Seven employees were honoured at the St. John Ambulance annual general meeting May 28 for their quick action in providing emergency first aid to a customer who suffered a heart attack at the store.
Operations manager Brian Banting along with Laura Gaetz, Paul Nadin and Darcy Lopez received the Provincial Award of Merit. Three other employees — Angie Ooms, Ben Marshall and Gary Egli — who assisted at the scene, received St. John Ambulance Life Saving Awards.
Save-On-Foods employees regularly undergo St. John Ambulance First Aid training.
Nanaimo St. John Branch outgoing chairman Jeff Lott said Gaetz was at her cash register that morning when she heard a customer call for help. She recognized the woman was having a heart attack and immediately instructed Nadin to call 911. Then she called Banting for help. Nadin communicated with the 911 dispatcher providing an assessment of the patient. He also relayed instructions to Ooms, Marshal and Egli. Lopez was recognized for rushing to the first aid room to get first aid supplies. — Submitted