From City of Mountain View, November 2005
"Hi Pam, I was taking the recertification class for CPR today with you and had a great time. Thank you for always making our trainings enjoyable and worthwhile. While in the room I happen to notice the photo's from this year's Safety Day and I was reminded of the Bloodborne Pathogens and Sun Safety session Alise and Liz lead. I know that you have been busy and that business is booming, but I wanted to send a little note to express my gratitude to you and your team for putting together a informative and FUN training for us. I think I speak for most of the Recreation Division when I say that the Jeopardy game was the best part of our day! (Sorry it took so long to send this feedback).
Thanks again for giving the information that we get every year to us in a fresh and interesting new way! I hope you are able to pass this on to Liz and Alise and tell them they did a great job. We'll be contacting you soon to offer something similar for our Summer Inservice Training for our recreation leaders.
*-Lauren, Recreation Division
From Fritter & Schultz, September 2005
"Pam, I want to thank you for taking the fear out of administering CPR. Yesterday, I was walking on the Embarcadero in San Francisco when I came upon a man who had collapsed while walking on the sidewalk. I was the third person on the scene. The first responder was calling 911 and the second responder was turning the victim over onto his back with the assistance of the victim's wife. We quickly determined that the man was not breathing and had no pulse. The 2nd responder and the wife began to frantically administer CPR when it became apparent to me that they needed some direction. Although I was not administering the CPR directly, I was able to coach the other two people through CPR until the paramedics arrived.
One of the most significant moments was when the wife mistakingly thought her husband was breathing. However, I was able to recognize that he was only having agonal respirations. Therefore, I was able to identify that CPR needed to continue.
I remembered what Pam had said to me once.... that the victim is already dead and that you can't make him "deader", you can only give him a chance for survival. I believe this took the fear out of the situation for me and I was surprisingly calm and able to remember all the proper steps to CPR. I have to believe that I was also useful in providing feedback and calming the fears of the others who were afraid of breaking ribs or breathing incorrectly.
Fortunately, the paramedics arrived, applied the AED and continued to provide respirations through a bag. When the victim was finally loaded into the ambulance, I heard a paramedic say that the victim had a pulse. Unfortunately, I don't know the outcome of this story, but I can say we did our best. My prayers are with this man and his family and I thank God I was at the right place at the right time."
-Gretchen Leff, Physical Therapist formerly of Fritter & Shultz
Network Appliance, June 2002
"Pam, we didn't have to use our AED, but we did have to call 911, direct EMS and make the patient comfortable. I was really pleased how our gang responded, grabbed the AED, and were ready to do whatever needed to be done. We also greeted the emergency vehicles and directed them to the 2nd floor location. Thank you for getting us to the point we are today, and making me look good along the way.
Here's the story: At about 8:15am today, a contract employee suffered severe chest pains that necessitated our calling 911 for outside medical assistance. Prior to their arrival, the person's co-workers, supervisors, along with security and a member of Building 1 Safety Team tended to the contractor. We had one of our defibrillators in the room with him, even though it was not needed, it was available for assistance. Paramedics determined that the contractor should be transported to El Camino Hospital.
We would like to thank everyone involved and we are very pleased that out emergency procedures and trainings worked very well!"
-Wayne Dexter, Director Safety & Security
From UC Berkeley, September 2003
"At tonight's football game a person suffered a full cardiac arrest. UC Bekeley security dispatched 911 and radioed CAL Medics to the scene for the Automated Defibrillator. CPR was immediately started as the AED was retrieved. The AED arrived on scence in less than 1.5 minutes and was immediately applied according to the verbal commands. The device requested "shock advised", a shock was delivered, the device requested a 2nd shock and it too was delivered. Upon administration of the second shock the medics were able to detect a pulse and continued with rescue breathing until EMS arrived. Thank you to ICE Safety Solutions for providing us with the Phillips HeartStart Defibrillator! Who knew that 3 weeks after you delivered the device we would have to use it!"
-Dr. Cindy Chang, Head Team Physcian UC Berkeley Athletics
From the Downtown San Jose Marriott Hotel, August 2004
"We would like to share a real life story with you, which occurred today during our application sessions. During application sessions, LPO Stu Lavatai was assigned to escort all applicants to the Human Resources area to explain the application process and monitor their progress. While he was on duty, he noticed that one of the applicant's 7 month old baby (Paulina) was choking and gasping for air. Paulina's mother, Jacqueline, was panicking and didn't know what do?
LPO Lavatai took immediate First Aid action by lifting the baby out of her stroller and cradled her on his left hand and applied the Heimlich maneuver. Paulina dislodged a small piece of cookie and she began breathing normally. Then, LPO Lavatai checked her mouth for any other foreign objects and saw none.
I would like to thank Stu Lavatai for being calm and collected during this highly stressful situation. LPO Stu Lavatai received his First Aid/CPR certification from ICE Safety Solutions on October, 2003 at the San Jose Marriott.
Again, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to become First Aid/CPR certified. You'll never know when you'll have to use it!"
-Yama Anwry, Director of Security
From eBay, August 2004
"Just wanted to share with you a little something... I used my skills today!
One of the managers came over and told me to call a cab because someone was in a lot of pain and in no condition to drive. I thought I would evaluate them before I called the cab place so I went over and evaluated and decided not to call a cab, she needed 911 so I called 911 and security to let them know where we were located. One person was trying to give her water and I took that away and had her lay all the way down and got as much info. from her as I could while I waited for the ambulance (where it hurt, if she took any med's, etc.). After she was taken I was told I did a great job! I got to use my newly learned skills! Thanks Pam!"
-Lisa Rion Dimas, Sr. Administrative Assistant, eBay IT
From the State of CA, Department of Toxics, June 2003
"I was in your CPR/First Aid class in Sacramento this morning. I just wanted to tell you how much I liked your class. I think that you present information in a way that sticks in people's heads longer than the way most classes present information, and it's not just the conga dance and jingle bells. The conga dance and jingle bells are very good ideas, and I am sure that I will remember them always, even when dealing with the pressure and distractions involved in rescue. But your very organic way of describing details in a connected manner make more sense than what other instructors teach.
In over 25 years of taking these classes, you are the first instructor that explained what fibrillation is, and how it is an intermediary state between normal heart beat and no heart beat.
For some reason I didn't happen to get much sleep the night before the class. I was sure I would fall asleep because I was so tired, but I did not find myself getting drowsy once during the class.
Thanks for the great class. I hope we have you back for the next refresher."
-D. Van Dyke, Deparment of Toxics