Godwin Heights — After a double emergency within an hour, coaches Brandon Kimble and Keontre Miskel said they are appreciative of the medical emergency response training they received.
“I can’t thank our security staff enough just (for) the training that we get,” said Kimble, the district’s varsity football coach and athletic director. “You believe it’s good. You listen to them. They know what they’re doing, but you never know if the knowledge that they’re giving you is relevant until you’ve got to use it.”
It was Sept. 19 when Miskel, who is a North Godwin youth development coordinator and JV football coach, was preparing to take the JV football team to its scheduled game, when a parent collapsed in front of him.
Miskel said his MERT training kicked in and he asked another parent to call 911 while he connected with Kimble, Miskel said.
On the field, Kimble was handling another emergency with a coach who had fainted, Kimble recalled.
Working together, the two performed CPR and used the automated external defibrillator on the parent while tending to the coach and making sure athletes were taken care of.
Both the parent and coach were transported to the hospital and are doing well, Kimble said, adding that the teams were able to participate in their scheduled games.
Godwin Heights Safety Coordinator Amira Selimovic said MERT teams practice moments like that, and that Kimble and Miskel’s actions demonstrated their emergency knowledge and understanding.
“We are so appreciative of the quick wit, timely response and application of their professional training,” said Superintendent Bill Fetterhoff. “These efforts provided necessary support and made the difference in the safety and well-being of multiple individuals.”
