It is a day that likely none of the teachers and support staff at South Delta Secondary will soon forget.
On Nov. 27, 2023, SDSS teacher Brent Sweeney collapsed while participating in a Professional Development seminar at the school.
Teacher Carol Lingham called 911, while teacher Stephen Burns, who was with Sweeney at the time, called for the school’s first aid attendants.
Staff member Dinah Estigoy, who has basic first aid training, jumped into action to assist. When first aid attendants - teachers Richard Hortness and Katrina Branden arrived - they worked as a team providing CPR.
Branden, who is the head of the school’s EMR program, also used the school’s automated external defibrillator (AED) until the arrival of first responders and paramedics.
On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the teachers were all presented with Vital Link Awards by BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) during a ceremony at the school.
BCEHS presents Vital Link Awards to honour the skillful actions of one or more bystanders at a cardiac arrest emergency. Nominations are made by BCEHS staff and presented to citizens throughout the province.
“We are recognizing courage, compassion and the selfless spirit when a life is quite literally on the line,” said Brian Twaites, paramedic public information officer for BCEHS. “Today we are honouring these individuals for being our vital links in the chain of survival.”
Retired paramedic Jeff Watts, who is the coordinator of the high school first responder program in the Lower Mainland of which there are 27 high schools involved, nominated the teachers for the award.
“As a former paramedic, paramedics and dispatchers rarely get the opportunity to meet, talk to and review with a former patient who has survived a cardiac arrest,” said Watts. “South Delta Secondary is one of the rare schools that has an AED. The heroic efforts of these nominees are an incredible example of our students who are enrolled in the high school first responder program.”
Sweeney, who returned to the school to resume teaching this week, was overwhelmed with gratitude.
“I want to thank so much my colleagues for the actions that it took on Nov. 27,” said Sweeney. “I wouldn’t be here. My family wouldn’t be here without doing what you did. Coming back to work this week has been so good to see your faces, to see the students faces and just to be back here and be back to normal. I feel good…I feel back to myself.
“Thanks to the paramedics and the first responders from the Delta Fire Department for what they did on that day. The staff at Royal Columbian Hospital, were fantastic in my recovery. I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me and my family.”
