Patti Earfrati is a personal trainer at a fitness center, but she does more than help clients lose weight: she saves their lives. It was a typical day at the gym for Earfrati. She was with a client when she heard “Code Blue” over the gym’s intercom. She tried to find the source of the commotion when she saw a group of people standing near an elliptical machine, surrounding a man who had collapsed.
“I could tell he wasn’t breathing,” she recalls.”His skin was pale and his lips had turned blue. It was a disturbing scene, but it was even more shocking to see everyone just watching. No one was doing anything.” Earfrati knew she had to do something, and her CPR training kicked in, despite learning it two years ago. She and a co-worker began chest compressions while someone called 911. Earfrati then used an AED, despite never having used one in her life.
The man started breathing again and was taken to the hospital. His wife credits Earfrati with saving his life and preventing brain damage.
But Earfrati is more concerned with the fact that no one knew what to do, and strongly urges all workplaces to provide CPR training.
