Heroes honoured for performing life-saving CPR on 3 people
Published: August 29, 2007
A Surrey grandmother yesterday met the woman who helped save her granddaughter’s life almost a year ago.
“I’ve been wanting to meet her for so long,” Cynthia Cox said at an awards ceremony. “I’m so glad to finally meet her face to face.”
Cox called 911 last July 11 when her seven-year old granddaughter Emily went into cardiac arrest after putting a piece of metal into an electrical outlet.
“As soon as my husband Norm said she wasn’t breathing, I called 911,” said Cox.
Kim Rigden, an emergency dispatcher who has been with the B.C. Ambulance Service for 16 years, answered her call for help.
“I remember Kim saying to me, ‘Do you know CPR?’” and I said, ‘No, but can you tell me what to do?’” said Cox. Rigden coached Cox through the life-saving procedure until paramedics arrived a few minutes later.
“You made such a big difference, you really did,” Cox told Rigden as her husband Norm and Emily looked on. “I couldn’t have done it without you on the other end. It was 60-40, with you being the 60.”
Cox’s CPR probably saved Emily’s life.
Statistics show cardiac-arrest victims are four times more likely to survive if CPR can be administered by a bystander immediately while waiting for medical crews to arrive.
Rigden credits Cox for doing all the hard work: “It was you. You listened and followed directions so well. You didn’t panic.”
Cox was one of three Lower Mainland heroes honoured by the B.C. Ambulance Service yesterday for performing CPR that saved a life.
The others were Nadine Thompson of Langley, who administered CPR on her husband Steven after he went into cardiac arrest in March, and Vernon Pahl of West Vancouver, who performed CPR on fellow Sun Run participant Robert Curtis after he had a heart attack last April.
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