CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — World Restart a Heart Day took on a profound significance for Chattanooga firefighter Kace Allen after he saved a life while off-duty.
“It was just a regular day at my coaching job,” Allen said.
However, the day took a dramatic turn when he witnessed 42-year-old Amy Young collapsed while riding her bike on the Riverwalk.
“We got out, we ran out, we were turning around, and that’s when we saw Amy Young collapsed over,” Allen said.
Recognizing the signs of cardiac arrest, Allen immediately sprang into action.
“I didn’t get a pulse and didn’t have any breathing either, I knew to start CPR and call 911,” he said.
Thanks to Allen’s quick response and CPR training, Young survived the incident, though she required open-heart surgery and spent several weeks in the hospital. She is alive and doing well.
Reflecting on the experience, Allen emphasized the importance of CPR knowledge.
“Everybody can do it. 100% everybody can do it,” he said. “You know, a student can do it for their teacher, or an athlete can do for their coach, or a grandkid can do it for their grandparent. Whatever it is, it is knowledge that everybody should know and everybody can apply.”
Beth Wright from the American Heart Association highlighted the critical role of CPR in saving lives.
“Annually, 350,000 people have cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, but if CPR is given immediately, that doubles and even triples, their chances of surviving,” Wright said.
The American Heart Association advocates for CPR training, noting that children as young as nine can learn hands-on CPR.
“If one person of every household in your neighborhood and your grandmother’s neighborhood knew how to perform CPR, think how many lives could be saved,” Wright said.
Because just knowing HOW is better than not knowing at all.
Allen added, “You can go your whole lifetime without using the knowledge, but that is okay, because with the time to use it, you can save someone’s life and you can make a difference.”
For more information on CPR training, visit the American Heart Association’s website.