It was a typical busy day at the Pasadena Convention Center in October when public safety officers Zabrina Patterson and Max Pitpan heard frantic calls for help over their hand-held radios.
Without hesitation, Patterson and Pitpan responded to where one of their co-workers was experiencing a sudden serious medical emergency.
At that moment, Patterson and Pitpan relied on their regular training they receive as part of their employment with the Pasadena Center Operating Co. The training provided them with the skills and knowledge to save a life.
The two worked in tandem to assess the victim, secure the scene, call paramedics and get the automated external defibrillator operational to treat a possible sudden cardiac arrest.
“One of the first paramedics on the scene let us know that Max and Zabrina’s actions probably saved their co-worker’s life,” said Peter DeClerk, operations manager, Pasadena Center Operating Co “The event staff at PCOC is tasked with responding to accidents and injuries and is trained in CPR AED and First Aid. This is the one training we all hope we never have to use. However, we also hope that when the time comes, the training will come back to us and we’ll able to handle a life-threatening emergency. Max and Zabrina learned first-hand that the training works and that it can save lives in a real world emergency.”
Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, SCA usually causes death if it’s not treated within minutes, and each minute of SCA leads to a 10 percent reduction in the probability of survival. Using an AED on a person who is having SCA may save the person’s life.
Patterson and Pitpan were recognized for their heroic actions in October as X-Cellence Award winners by the Pasadena Center Operating Co. The award is presented quarterly to PCOC employees who display world-class service.
For more information, contact the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 307-7977 or visit www.VisitPasadena.com.
