CPR training put to test Published Sept. 4, 2007 By Senior Airman Ali Flisek 1st SOW Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- If anyone thinks the hours put in during the mandatory CPR training are a waste of time, think again. Senior Airman Shawn Overton, 46th Maintenance Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, and Melanie Newton from the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office, Eglin, found their training put to the test Aug. 22 when a co-worker collapsed in their warehouse. An unidentified man asked the room if anyone knew CPR. Ms. Newton, having gone through the training four times from her previous job, quickly jumped up and ran to help, the CPR steps running through her head. Airman Overton, having completed the training just two weeks before, hurried over to help her. "I'll breathe, you do the compression," said Airman Overton, remembering two mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths for every 30 chest compressions. One co-worker was on the phone with 911, three others checked the victim's pulse. Ms. Newton delivered 30 chest compressions within 18 seconds and Airman Overton gave the man two breaths. They repeated the cycle for a total of five cycles before the man started to breathe again. Ms. Newton and Airman Overton rolled their victim on his side just in time for paramedics to arrive. "Everybody worked as a team," said Ms. Newton. "It was incredible." "I am very glad the Air Force puts people through the training. IIf anyone thinks the hours put in during the mandatory CPR training are a waste of time, think again. Senior Airman Shawn Overton, 46th Maintenance Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, and Melanie Newton from the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office, Eglin, found their training put to the test Aug. 22 when a co-worker collapsed in their warehouse. An unidentified man asked the room if anyone knew CPR. Ms. Newton, having gone through the training four times from her previous job, quickly jumped up and ran to help, the CPR steps running through her head. Airman Overton, having completed the training just two weeks before, hurried over to help her. "I'll breathe, you do the compression," said Airman Overton, remembering two mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths for every 30 chest compressions. One co-worker was on the phone with 911, three others checked the victim's pulse. Ms. Newton delivered 30 chest compressions within 18 seconds and Airman Overton gave the man two breaths. They repeated the cycle for a total of five cycles before the man started to breathe again. Ms. Newton and Airman Overton rolled their victim on his side just in time for paramedics to arrive. "Everybody worked as a team," said Ms. Newton. "It was incredible." "I am very glad the Air Force puts people through the training. Ihelped save someone's life," said Airman Overton. Ms. Newton is married to Master Sergeant Duke Newton, 15th Special Operations Squadron. "To look at the situation and do what needs to be done, says a lot about a persons character," said Lt. Col. Christopher Ireland, 15th SOS acting commander. Approximately 164,600 cardiac arrests occur in the United States annually, according to the American Heart Association. Unless there's someone near to resuscitate the victim, they'll die within minutes. Cardiac arrest is a disturbance in the heart rhythm and although the breaths are important, it's the chest compressions that save lives. The compressions are actually what keep the heart pumping and the blood flowing. Performing CPR can double a victim's chance of survival.