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Chelsea council, fire department recognize citizen for lifesaving action

by

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

Erica Techo

In 2006, the Chelsea City Council supported the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) around the city, in schools and municipal buildings. On Dec. 26, 2016, one of those AEDs helped save a life, Chelsea Fire and Rescue Chief Wayne Shirley told the council during its Feb. 21 meeting.

“Since then [2006] we’ve had two applied to patients. One did not need a shock, so no shock was given, and one in the last week of this past year where a shock was advised and a shock was given, and it did a lot of good to this young man sitting back here,” Shirley said.

That man was James Livings, who was using workout equipment at the Chelsea Community Center on Dec. 26 when he collapsed. He did not have a pulse and was not breathing, and Chelsea resident Mia Carter and her daughter Alli Cochran came to his aid.

Carter said her daughter first saw Livings and performed CPR while she went to ask someone to call 911. When she returned to the exercise room, Carter said she saw Livings had turned blue and asked the community center for their AED and administered the shock.

Capt. Brad McCain with Chelsea FD said they received a call around 9:56 a.m., reporting a man was down. When they arrived, they saw two citizens and community center employees were working with the patient. Livings was transferred to Grandview Hospital.

“If it wasn’t for the citizens delivering that shock, I really believe that’s what saved his life,” McCain said.

Dr. Will Ferguson, who works with Chelsea FD, said while medicine is an ever-developing field, “one thing we do know is bystander CPR makes a big difference in lives. Early access to AEDs, early access defibrillation, and then high quality emergency medical services save lives, and this is a great example.”

Carter was presented with a proclamation presenting her with the Civilian Life Saving Award for her actions. Carter also received certificates from the American Heart Association, recognizing her for performing emergency cardiac care and courageous action. Cochran, who was not at the meeting, received the same recognition.

Livings said he was grateful for the help from Carter and her daughter, as most of the time when he works out he is by himself in the exercise room.

“But for her being there, I probably would not be here. It is one of those things that I usually work out and there’s no one there with me, and it just so happens that she was there and her daughter was there,” Livings said. “And I don’t remember them, because I passed out. This and the [crew] that transported me, I thank them very much. I’m here because of them.”

Shirley also recognized the members of the crew who transported Livings.

Also during the meeting, the council passed a resolution authorizing the creation of a new employee position at the Chelsea Community Center and the hiring of Jane Ann Mueller to fill that position.

Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer said while the community center sees high traffic from 3-8 p.m. on weekdays and on the weekends, it is underutilized at other points in the week.

“My hope was we could find the right person to put programs together to serve the other parts of our city and the other parts of our citizens that weren’t being served in the after-hours times,” Picklesimer said.

Mueller will act as a programs coordinator for the community center and plans to implement more programs for seniors, develop programs moms after they drop their kids at school, a recess program for the homeschooled children in Chelsea, programs for special needs individuals and other activities.

“She really gives us an opportunity to fill a gap in the services we offer,” Picklesimer said.

Also at the meeting, the council:

The next city council meeting will be March 7. Pre-council starts at 5:30 p.m., and council will start at 6 p.m.

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