NORRIS, Tennessee — A Norris police officer received a letter of commendation on Friday for doing what he said was just a part of his job — saving another man's life.
In April, Lt. David Campbell was dispatched to a home. When he arrived, he spotted a man who was unresponsive so he immediately started administering CPR. He had recently been trained on it, and officials said his actions made it possible to bring the man to a hospital and save him.
"I didn't see life, I didn't see any life whatsoever," Lt. Campbell said. "I started checking and that's when I heard the agonal breathing that I was taught about just a few weeks ago. I waited on it for a second and did it again, and that's when I realized what I had thanks to that training I received."
Experts say fewer than 46% of people who have a cardiac emergency receive immediate care before professionals arrive. It can cost them their lives.
Before giving someone CPR, people should first check for responsiveness. If they don't respond to taps or calls to the person, people should call 911 and begin administering CPR.
People should check for their chest rising or other signs of life. To administer CPR, people should place the bottom of their palms in the center of the person's chest, lacing the fingers of their other hand over it.
Then, they should push directly down on the victim's chest. They should push around 2 inches down and continue pressing at a tempo of at least 100 beats per minute, to 120 beats per minute. It is the same tempo as the song "Staying Alive."