City of McKinney employees receive American Red Cross Lifesaving Awards for Professional Responders during a ceremony at the McKinney Senior Recreation Center. (left to right) John Griffin White, Cianna Alliot, Lou Connor, Savanah Chavarria, Jaden Dawes and Linda Braddy.
By: Shasha Granado
On December 17, 2024, the American Red Cross recognized the heroism of City of McKinney employees Cianna Alliot, Savanah Chavarria, Jaden Dawes and John Griffin White for rushing to the aid of Lou Connor, helping save her life.
Surrounded by their peers and family members at a ceremony at the McKinney Senior Recreation Center, City of McKinney Parks and Recreation Director Amy Kinkade and Assistant Director Ryan Mullins lauded their actions and Red Cross North Texas Region CEO Linda Braddy presented them with the American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders.
“It is an awesome feeling to know that these four people who were properly trained according to the Red Cross guidelines were there for me,” Connor said.
On June 27, 2024, McKinney Senior Recreation Center pool managers Chavarria and Dawes were notified of a life-threatening emergency. Long-time patron Conner had collapsed during an exercise class.
Chavarria and Dawes reacted quickly, arriving at the room where the exercise class was taking place with the emergency crash bag. They then determined that the victim had a faint pulse and rolled her onto her side into a recovery position.
At the same time, Aquatics Coordinator Alliot and Aquatics Supervisor White arrived to assist and called 911. Alliot, White and Dawes then began multi-person CPR and delivered a shock using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). They continued with six rounds of CPR until EMS personnel from the McKinney Fire Department arrived and took over care.
“When it happened, I didn’t know that anything had happened. I didn’t realize the seriousness of it,” Conner said, reflecting on the incident. “I owe my life to them.”
Daven Blanks, who nominated Alliot, Chavarria, Dawes and White for Red Cross recognition, was the pool manager at the time of the incident. He expressed his appreciation to the responders, staff and co-workers present on the day of the emergency, where everyone played a role in helping save a life.
“It's really important that everyone understands. Anytime we have a situation like that, it's not just the people who are there providing the care but the team you have around you,” Blanks said. “When we're all in this together and putting everything into action with our emergency action plan, it sets everyone else up for success. We need to lean on each other in those moments. The way our team did that on that day was amazing.”
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