Date: December 1, 2020
The Missouri Chapter of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials is proud to recognize Chris Blankenship of the Jefferson County 9-1-1 as a Missouri Teammate in Action!
On November 4, 2020, Jefferson County 9-1-1 Dispatcher Chris Blankenship took a call from Ronnie Shaw who had stopped to help a woman roadside. She had been struck by a car while walking along State Route CC in Jefferson County and she didn’t have a pulse. Blankenship began giving Mr. Shaw CPR instructions. After about five minutes of chest compressions, the woman was brought back to life before emergency medical responders arrived and took her to Mercy Hospital.
Dispatcher Blankenship and Mr. Shaw were the subjects of a Fox 2 News report on the incident where Blankenship credited his training and experience for preparing him for a situation like this. That, along with the support and encouragement of his fellow dispatchers.
“The most terrifying experience in my life,” Blankenship told Fox 2. “I’d put it up there with my child being born. It’s terrifying. You’re not there, you have to literally tell someone step-by-step instructions how to save someone’s life and you can’t verify they’re actually doing it.”
“In my eyes, (Blankenship) is the actual hero of the day,” Mr. Shaw said. “She was laying there. She was lifeless. She wasn’t breathing. It was pretty horrific to see what happened.” “I feel like we were working together as a team.” Mr. Shaw had taken a CPR course 12 years before but hadn’t used his training since then. Plus, he was shaken after he saw the woman get hit.
“He’s (Shaw’s) a rock star. He did a very good job,” Blankenship said. “He saved that woman’s life for sure. I feel I did my job. He’s the hero. He didn’t have to stop; he didn’t have to help.”
The message from both men: learn CPR. You may need it someday for a friend, loved one, or even a stranger. Chris Blankenship certainly did his job that day, and he did it very well. Missouri APCO is proud to recognize him as a Missouri Teammate in Action.
Do you know someone or a team of someones who deserve to be recognized as Teammates in Action? Nominate them today!