“Like other trainings, CPR training is another tool to keep in your toolbox for when you need it,” Scott Douglas explained. “I’m just grateful that when the time came I had that tool and was able to use it.”
Douglas was officially recognized by the American Red Cross at the Agee Fellowship Church in Poplar Bluff on Friday, Feb. 16. Along with Douglas, Heather Dobbs was also presented with an award. Both Douglas and Dobbs work for Preferred Family Healthcare (PFH) in Poplar Bluff.
Douglas works as a direct support service provider and assists individuals — called consumers — with day-to-day needs. These include shopping, cleaning, budgeting and taking medication, among others. It was during his job that Douglas found himself needing to dip into his toolbox.
“It was weird,” Douglas remarked. “It started off like a normal shift, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that something wasn’t right.”
Douglas watched as his consumer started to collapse, so he helped lower him to the ground. He had a brief window of time to decide whether or not to take action.
“It feels so weird to be getting an award for this,” Douglas said during the interview. “But, I just remembered all my training and I started to perform CPR after I contacted emergency services. I decided that I was going to perform CPR until the paramedics arrived because I was determined that the paramedics would arrive to take care of someone who was alive.”
Douglas was successful in keeping his consumer alive; paramedics took over and transported the man to the hospital, where he later passed away.
“I’ve done this job for over four years, and this is the first time I ever had to use my CPR training,” Douglas explained. “It’s one of those things where you don’t ever want to have to use the training, but in this line of work, it’s more probable that you’ll have to use it and you need to be prepared.”
Dobbs was not on the scene at the time of the incident, but she was recognized by the American Red Cross for her work as the CPR instructor at PFH. Douglas praised her for her teaching ability, and Dobbs commended Douglas for his fast action.
“(Douglas) definitely absorbed all of his training,” Dobbs remarked. “We keep our residents well taken care of, but you have to be ready for anything to happen at any time.”
Dobbs has been with PFH for 14 years and has worked in a variety of roles, but said she has embraced her position as a CPR instructor.
“I have a son with special needs, and I know that he will eventually need services like we provide at PFH,” Dobbs explained. “It makes me even more serious about training and working harder because I want to ensure that the company is better and everyone is fully trained.”
Dobbs explained everyone in the company has been very supportive of Douglas by telling him he did a good job.
“He really has struggled with everything that happened,” Dobbs remarked. “But everyone in the company has been quick to tell him that he did everything that could possibly be done. It’s just one of those things and he gave his consumer the best chance at living.”
Both Dobbs and Douglas received awards from Michael Sullivan, the executive director of the American Red Cross for Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri.
“The decision was made to present these awards because both of these individuals embody everything that the American Red Cross stands for,” Sullivan stated. “Regardless of the outcome, Scott (Douglas) was able to take swift action and do what was necessary, because of the training he received from Heather (Dobbs). Things like this should be officially recognized.”
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