JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HUSTON, Texas –
The City of Garden Ridge presented Col. (Dr.) Lance Cordoni, Medical Consultants Division chief, Army Medical Department Center & School at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, and his wife, Allyson, with a special lifesaving award March 1 for saving their neighbor's life Nov. 20, 2016.
Cordoni was in his garage that Sunday when his neighbor’s wife came to his house asking for help. While Allyson called 911, Cordoni rushed over and saw that his neighbor had suffered a heart attack. His years of training kicked in immediately and he began administering CPR and was able to keep his neighbor alive until emergency medical services arrived.
Cordoni’s quick actions saved a life that day, but he does not want people to focus on what he did, but rather on the importance of CPR training. As it happened, he had just taken a CPR refresher course two weeks prior.
“Even a doctor like myself, who’s taken CPR training in the past, benefits from a refresher course,” Cordoni said. “My neighbor is here today with his family because I learned CPR. I encourage everyone to take the training.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, states that out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death among adults in the United States. Administering CPR in the first few minutes after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest substantially increase the chances of survival.
To find a CPR class contact unit training monitors or visit the American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org) or American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org) websites.