WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (July 24, 2019) – Yesterday, the Palm Beach & Martin Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross recognized Laurie Levene for using Red Cross life-saving skills to save her friend’s life.
On January 6, 2019, Laurie Levene and some friends were enjoying dinner at Golden Corral in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., when her female friend began to choke. While eating, Levene noticed the woman’s airways were obstructed by food and asked her friend if she was okay. After the friend was unable to respond verbally, Levene jumped into action and proceeded to perform abdominal thrusts. After several attempts, the food was expelled from her friend’s airways which allowed her to finally breathe.
For her heroic and lifesaving action, Levene received the Red Cross Certificate of Merit in a ceremony at the Red Cross Chapter office in West Palm Beach, Fla.
The Certificate of Merit is the highest award given by the Red Cross to individuals who save or sustain a life using skills learned in a Red Cross Training Services course.
“Laurie has been a dedicated Red Cross volunteer for most of her life,” said Jennifer Durrant, executive director for the Chapter. “She has served as a member of the Palm Beach Disaster Action Team, the Disaster Public Affairs Team, the Volunteer Relations Team, and the Emergency Response Vehicle team. We are grateful for her support and thrilled to recognize her with a Lifesaving Award.”
Levene is a long-time Red Cross volunteer that is trained in Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED. In addition to her many roles at the Red Cross, she leads the Red Cross Disability Integration Team for the South Florida Region.
Laurie is known to be a passionate and kind-hearted person that embodies the life-saving mission of the Red Cross.
Red Cross training gives people 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.
Nominate Someone
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.
About the American Red Cross:
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 American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/southflorida or visit us on Facebook and Twitter at @SFLRedCross.
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