ASHI and MEDIC First Aid Blog

During these difficult weeks, it’s good to be reminded that we’re all in this together and that each of us can learn how to make a lifesaving difference for someone in a medical emergency. For today’s inspiration blog post, we’re sharing a Good Samaritan story from the EMS Safety archives.

“He is having a heart attack and dying!” That short phrase is all it took for EMS Safety student and Navy civilian safety officer Glyndon Murphy to choose to act and ultimately use her CPR training to save a life. 

On April 9, 2019, Murphy was alerted by a coworker that there was a man lying on the ground in the hallway by an elevator. When she arrived, there were eight people standing against a wall panicking.  

“I immediately assessed the gentleman and deemed that he required immediate CPR,” said Murphy. 

A sailor handed her an automated external defibrillator (AED) and she continued to follow her training.

“After placing the AED pads and continuing CPR, it indicated that shock was advised,” said Murphy. “After 11 minutes and back-to-back CPR and two applications of the AED, first responders from the fire department arrived with paramedics. They instructed me to continue CPR.” 

The man Murphy saved was a fellow government employee. She was notified the following day that he survived and was having surgery to implant a defibrillator. 

Murphy’s EMS Safety CPR training and experiences from serving in the Marine Corps gave her the confidence to respond. 

“Without the training, I may have been another individual who would have been a witness versus someone who took immediate action,” said Murphy.  

Thanks to Officer Murphy’s quick action and life-saving efforts, she helped a man survive cardiac arrest — an outcome that may have been completely different without CPR and AED intervention. We would also like to recognize Murphy’s EMS Safety instructor, Robyn Knowles, for continuing to make a difference by providing high-quality CPR, AED, and first aid training to her students.

For more information on sudden cardiac arrest and how AEDs save lives, download our infographics at the buttons below.