A Roanoke family found out in May just how well the coordinated efforts of public safety units and Carilion Clinic can work when a woman suffered a heart attack while driving on US-220 in Franklin County. The sheriff’s department used triangulation technology to locate Norma Anderson after receiving frantic cell phone calls; Franklin County EMS transported her to a hospital in that area. Next, Carilion’s Lifeguard 10 helicopter took Anderson to Carilion Roanoke Memorial for further treatment.
Last Sunday the Anderson family, Franklin County Sheriff Ewell Hunt and Sgt. Dan Hale, along with the EMS personnel, the dispatcher on duty (on May 16) and the Lifeguard 10 crew that saved Anderson’s life, all gathered to celebrate a true team effort.
Franklin County deputy sheriffs used the portable fibrillation devices they had been trained on to resuscitate Anderson – who had no pulse at one point. “I could tell the dispatcher had a frantic call,” recalled Hunt at a news conference, held at the Lifeguard 10 home base in Roanoke.
Hunt added that it was “tremendously rewarding to save someone’s life. This person is able to continue to … be with their loved ones. Everything clicked together, because time was of the essence.”
Hale recalled that Anderson “started to come around,” after they used the AED’s (the portable defibrillators used to shock a heart back into normal rhythm), but it took several shocks before her pulse started to stabilize. Franklin County EMS operations manager Capt. Patrick Meeks said, “Everything just fell into place, that day, even during a frantic situation.” “It took a lot of people,” said Hale.
“Anderson (59) also received six shots as they attempted to revive her,” said Meeks, adding, “all of that training paid off; when you create a system it works.” It was the first “successful save” in Franklin County he pointed out, after installation and training on the AED’s. Deputies started carrying the AED’s in their vehicles about five years ago.
One of Anderson’s daughters, Tara Williams, thanked those who were involved; “all of you are responsible for my mother being here.” William’s daughter was in the car with her mother and Anderson on May 16, and “started screaming,” when she noticed that “Nana had passed out.”
Anderson, who was on a ventilator for three days, “doesn’t remember anything” about the incident, said Williams. “We’ve seen the miracle unfold,” added niece Kristie Johnson, who was at the hospital all 11 days Anderson was there.
“God has been in my life,” said Anderson, who just kept saying “thank you, thank you” as people stepped forward to talk about their part in saving her life. Anderson said the spirit of her deceased daughter Tracie was sent by God “to bring me back … because God is not ready for me.”
There were smiles and hugs all around last Sunday. “I’m fine now,” said Anderson. “I’m just so thankful.”
By Gene Marrano [email protected]