SAN DIEGO – May 27, 2020 – Scott De Laurentis of San Diego and Officer Jason Sanchez of the City of Imperial may not know each other, but they have one thing in common: both of them have helped save a life. For their heroic actions, De Laurentis and Officer Sanchez were honored today by the American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties.
“Scott De Laurentis and Officer Jason Sanchez have set an example in our community and have inspired others to learn important lifesaving skills. They are to be commended for their willingness to help others in distress,” said Sean Mahoney, CEO of the American Red Cross Southern California Region. “They exemplify the Red Cross mission and we are proud to recognize their lifesaving actions.”
In July 2019, De Laurentis, trained in Red Cross Adult CPR/AED, helped save the life of a gentleman who lost consciousness at Naval Base San Diego. The victim was playing a game of racquetball when he collapsed. After De Laurentis was notified of the man’s condition, he contacted emergency staff and proceeded to the racquetball court where he started performing chest compressions. Emergency Medical Services arrived and continued to provide care, ultimately saving his life. For this heroic action, De Laurentis received the Lifesaving Awards Certificate of Merit, awarded to individuals who save or sustain a life by using skills and knowledge learned in a Red Cross Training Services course.
In January 2020, Officer Sanchez, of the City of Imperial Police Department, was dispatched to provide medical aid for a woman who was choking. Officer Sanchez performed abdominal thrusts on the victim and eventually began performing CPR when the woman lost her pulse. When paramedics arrived, further medical treatment was conducted in the ambulance. Officer Sanchez’s courageous actions and skills helped save the woman’s life. Officer Sanchez received the Lifesaving Awards Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action, awarded to individuals who step up in an emergency situation and help save or sustain a life.
American Red Cross Training Services teaches lifesaving skills to an average of more than 9 million people each year, including thousands of people in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Red Cross training empowers people with the knowledge and skills to act in an emergency and save a life. A variety of online, blended (online and in-person skills session) and classroom courses are available at redcross.org/takeaclass.
People can go to LifesavingAwards.org to nominate and recognize an individual or group of individuals who have used the skills and knowledge learned in an American Red Cross Training Services course to help save or sustain a life. For more information about the American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties, visit redcross.org/SoCal.
About the American Red Cross Southern California Region
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid, and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the public to perform its mission. The Red Cross Southern California Region proudly serves San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial Counties. In addition to carrying out disaster preparedness and response programs, blood collection, health and safety training, international services programs and supporting the military community, the Southern California Region provides nutritional counseling through its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in San Diego and helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters through its Prepare SoCal and Prepare San Diego initiatives. For more information, please visit redcross.org/SoCal or cruzrojaamericana.org, or connect with the Southern California Region on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or Facebook.
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