Utility Workers Local 335 member Joe Chase, a St. Louis District distribution field worker and inspector for Missouri American Water, recently put CPR training to use on a job site.
On Oct. 24, Chase and a co-worker went to a new development to tie up loose ends, including flushing hydrants.
Chase approached a framing crew that was working nearby to make sure their work wouldn’t cause any interruptions.
“As soon as I approached the house, I saw a man fall,” Chase said. “The next thing I noticed was the fear in his foreman’s eyes.”
Chase knew he had to act quickly and put the CPR training he received as a Missouri American Water employee to use in a matter of seconds.
“The training I had earlier this year was in the back of my mind the whole time,” Chase said. “If not for the training, I would have been less prepared. I didn’t think twice about it. I knew what to do and how to act.”
Chase knew that quick action can save a life, and he did just that. He made contact with the man who collapsed a few days after the incident and was relieved to know he survived.
“There is no better gratification in life than to know you saved another person’s life,” he said. “I am completely humbled by the situation.
Varon Johnson, senior operations supervisor at Missouri American, is proud of Chase and credits the outcome to the emphasis placed on CPR/AED/First Aid training classes.
“I am happy our company has made it a priority for our employees to get this training,” Johnson said. “Joe stepped up and it was powerful.”
- Share this story:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-