Hero and a Scholar: CPR Skills Used to Save Life at College

On a breezy Tuesday morning in October, a hero walked through the door of the Red Cross office in Seattle. Rameen Sahoo, from Bellevue, was onsite to accept the Certificate of Merit.

Trained in American Red Cross Lifeguarding and First Aid/CPR/AED, Rameen helped save the life of a gentleman who lost consciousness on the University of Nebraska at Lincoln campus in April.

Bearing the signature of the President of the United States, the Certificate of Merit is highest award given by the American Red Cross to an individual or team of individuals who saves or sustains a life by using skills and knowledge learned in an American Red Cross Training Services course.

Rameen was leaving class to attend another appointment when she encountered a crowd outside the College of Business building. Moving closer to the crowd, she could see an older gentlemen unconscious on the floor with large amounts of blood coming from his mouth. It appeared the gentleman’s tongue had been partially cutoff when the incident occurred. Another bystander had already begun CPR on the gentleman, but had exclaimed he had no prior training. Rameen stated she was a certified lifeguard with CPR certification and switched with the bystander to immediately take over performing CPR.

She continued with compressions. She asked the crowd to assist with keeping the gentleman’s airways unobstructed and open. Shortly after the gentlemen started breathing on his own. Paramedics arrived and continued to provide care. The gentleman was transported to a local hospital, treated and later released. Without a doubt, the skills learned in the American Red Cross Preparedness and Health and Safety Services course helped to save the life of this gentleman.

For this act, Rameen Sahoo has been awarded the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit. This action exemplifies the highest degree of concern of one human being for another who is in distress.