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Captain, NCO administer CPR, save life in restaurant

  • Published
  • By Airmen 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd ARW Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  By Two members of Team Fairchild performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on 79-year-old Ivan Schneider after he collapsed March 16 in a local restaurant. 

Capt. Jarrett McNabb, 92nd Operations Group executive officer, and Staff Sgt. Tiana Church, 92nd Maintenance Group, Commander Support Staff NCOIC, aided the man until medical personnel arrived. 

According to Captain McNabb, Mr. Schneider was about to sit down when his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. 

Being the closest person to the man, Captain McNabb rushed to catch the man before his head could hit the floor. Captain McNabb then checked the man's breathing and told one of the bystanders to check his pulse. 

When the man ceased breathing, Captain McNabb began providing breathes to Mr. Schneider while a civilian in the restaurant performed chest compressions. 

At that time, Leslie McNabb, Captain McNabb's wife, left the restaurant searching for anyone else who might be able to help. When she entered a nearby coffee shop and asked if anyone knew CPR, Sergeant Church immediately went to the scene. 

Sergeant Church helped count chest compressions and provided coaching on proper procedures, ensuring the timing was right and the chest compressions were fast enough. She then resumed chest compressions herself after the second round of CPR. 

The impromptu team continued CPR on Mr. Schneider until the fire department arrived, having to utilize a defibrillator and epinephrine to revive him. 

Mr. Schneider was taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. 

"I sure want to thank that captain and staff sergeant. I guess they saved my life," said Mr. Schneider on Tuesday during a phone interview. "They just stepped right in and took control." 

Mr. Schneider was once assigned to Fairchild's Provost Marshall Office almost 60 years ago. He completed his four-year term and separated as a technical sergeant.