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Red Cross Lifesaver Awards to Spotlight St. Louis Area Heroes

Lifesavers range from first-graders and teenagers to electricians and a bus driver

WHAT:

The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter will feature nine stories of heroism during a Lifesaver Award ceremony at Chapter Headquarters.The event is designed to recognize local residents for developing skills through training and then reaching out to save a life. A variety of people from all walks of life will receive honors - from first-graders and teenagers to electricians and a bus driver. In addition to these heroes, many of the people whose lives were saved will also attend.

Preview of Lifesaver Award Recipients:

A pair of Ameren UE electricians from Washington, MO and Defiance, MO saved the life of a coworker after he began choking during lunch by administering abdominal thrusts.
A first-grader from Granite City, IL saved the life of a classmate at Frohardt Elementary School in Granite Cityafter performing abdominal thrusts to dislodge a toy from his classmate's throat.
A 17-year-old from Fenton saved the life of his classmate while on a field trip with Fox High School. The teen performed rescue breathing for two minutes until his classmate regained consciousness.
A bus driver from Highland, IL performed two abdominal thrusts to dislodge a piece of candy from her coworker's throat, saving her coworker’s life.
A seven-year-old girl from Festus found her mother unresponsive and ran to get her father because she knew her mother was a diabetic. The young girl’s father was able to quickly administer the lifesaving medications to bring his wife back to consciousness.
A 14-year-old girl from Jerseyville, IL saved the life of a classmate at Illini Middle School. When her classmate began choking and turning blue, the teen performed abdominal thrusts to dislodge the food.
An eight-year-old boy from Arnold comforted his younger brother and told him to keep coughing when a quarter became lodged in his throat.
At a restaurant in Farmington, a Missouri Department of Corrections employee from Park Hills, MO saved the life of a nine-year-old girl when a mint became lodged in her airway. The womanperformed abdominal thrusts on the girl until the mint became dislodged.

Preview of National Certificate of Merit Recipients:

A lifeguard supervisor for Clayton Parks and Recreation saved the life of a high school swim team member after she stopped breathing near the side of the pool.

WHEN:

Monday, April 7, 2008 - 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:

American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter Headquarters

10195 Corporate Square Drive - Creve Coeur, MO

WHY:

The Red Cross Lifesaver Program has honored nearly 400 St. Louis area residents. The Lifesaver Awards are designed to inspire others to seek training in First Aid and CPR by sharing remarkable stories of local citizens who prepared themselves to respond in an emergency situation. Theprogram supports the Red Cross mission to help our communities prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies.

About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 91 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 446,600 times each year. The Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and depends on the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, services to military personnel and support for blood services. The Chapter, a United Way agency, provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair (including Scott Air Force Base) and part of Madison County in Illinois. All disaster relief services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the American people. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org.

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