Tanner Vasquez, Angela Vasquez, and Telecommunicator Jennifer Holland
Director of 911 Operations Jeff Carney and 911 Executive Director John Stuermer present Telecommunicator Holland with her Life Saver Award
Telecommunicator Holland meets the Vasquez family
Tanner and Angela Vasquez describe their 911 call
A life was saved in thanks to the quick thinking of family members combined with the training and skills of a team of emergency professionals.
On Sunday morning, Dec. 7, 2014, Tanner Vasquez called 911 to report that his grandmother was experiencing a possible heart attack. Hamilton County 911 Telecommunicator Jennifer Holland answered his call, obtained vital information and quickly determined that the grandmother, 78-year-old Bennie Wheeler, was not breathing. Telecommunicator Holland immediately began coaching family members, including Tanner’s mother, Angela Vasquez and a neighbor, Michele Jordan through cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Telecommunicator Holland remained on the phone and relayed her instructions and coaching through Tanner to the citizen rescuers working valiantly to save Mrs. Wheeler. Responders from the Tri-Community Fire Department arrived followed by Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services.
Mrs. Wheeler was transported to Memorial Hospital where aggressive, life-saving treatment continued.
Mrs. Wheeler survived this incident and is expected to make an almost 100% recovery. Dr. Ledford, the attending physician at Memorial Hospital credited the family’s quick activation of 911 and the timely, proper application of CPR as being key to rs. Wheeler’s survival.
Friday, January 8, 2014 Angela and Tanner Vasquez came to the Hamilton County 9-1-1 Center to meet and thank the call taker who helped them that day. It was an emotional moment for the family, the call taker and other employees in attendance but it drove home Hamilton County 911’s mission of “Promising to Help”.
This was not Telecommunicator Holland’s first life saved while employed at Hamilton County 911. She was recognized in July of 2014 for providing CPR instructions that led to the resuscitation of a one-month old infant.
All totaled, Hamilton County 911 employees were recognized six times in 2014 for saving a life by providing CPR instructions via telephone.
It is rare that 911 employees experience such closure on a call they’ve taken. Usually they’re left wondering if what they did made any difference. In this case there can be no doubt that a well trained, caring 911 telecommunicator can make the biggest difference one can make….saving a life.