Peterson Space Force Base, Colo. -- PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. — When an unexpected medical emergency unfolded outside his off-base home, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Sean Humanic, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal team member, relied on the training he received to render life-saving aid.
Humanic was preparing a late breakfast when he noticed a group of men playing pickleball nearby. Moments later, one of the men collapsed, for Humanic, the response was instinctive.
“I saw that something was wrong,” Humanic said. “He was unresponsive, not breathing and I couldn’t feel a pulse.”
After confirming a bystander had called 911, Humanic took over communication with emergency dispatchers to provide the exact location while beginning CPR. He performed CPR for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until another individual with similar training arrived and rotated compressions before emergency medical personnel took over.
The individual was transported to a local hospital, where he underwent triple bypass surgery. Humanic said medical personnel emphasized that early intervention was critical in sustaining the individual until advanced care became available.
“It’s not every day you actually get to use the training you’re given,” he said. “Having to use it makes it that much more clear why we take it.”
Humanic credited the recurring first aid and Tactical Combat Casualty Care training he received in his flight for giving him both the skills and confidence to act decisively.
“We take the training extremely serious,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. David Thomas, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal noncommissioned officer in charge of operations and Humanic’s supervisor. “A lot of that isn’t just to give people skill sets, it’s to give them the confidence to drop what they’re doing and help somebody.”
Thomas added that in more than 10 years of instructing similar training, Humanic is one of only a few Airmen he has personally trained who has had to apply those skills in an off-duty civilian emergency.
“These skills directly translate to the real world,” Thomas said. “Whether it’s a vehicle accident, a fall or a medical emergency, the ability to respond immediately can make the difference.”
While the training is regularly applied in operational and deployed environments, this incident demonstrated how those same skills can prove just as critical in the civilian community.