A Routine Meeting Turns Into a Life-Saving Moment

Myrtle Huggins was hosting a community meeting with members of the Boston Police Department to discuss crime in the area. While one of the officers was speaking, Officer Joseph DeVito noticed that the 83-year-old host started breathing abnormally, initially sounding like she was snoring.

“Myrtle’s a joker,” DeVito said. “We thought she was making fun of one of the guys because he was telling a long-winded story. Then we realized after a couple of seconds that it wasn’t a joke and that it was serious.”

The training kicked in and everyone knew what to do, where to get everything, and how to prep the AED. There was no lapse in care.

— Officer Joseph DeVito, Boston Police Department

Officers Jump Into Action

Huggins was in fact experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Fortunately, the Boston Police Department is trained annually on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).

“All of us knew exactly what to do when she went into that cardiac episode,” DeVito said. “The training kicked in and we knew exactly what to start doing. It wasn’t like I was telling a civilian ‘Go get the AED’ and they’re like, ‘What are you talking about?’ Everyone knew what to do, where to get everything, and how to prep the AED. There was no lapse in care.”

A Shock that Saved a Life

The officers carefully placed Huggins on the ground and checked for a pulse. When they couldn’t find one, DeVito started performing CPR while another officer ran to get the AED. DeVito felt a weight of responsibility during these moments, knowing that it was his and the other officers’ duty to help. In this case, it was their job, but it was also personal. “I knew her,” DeVito said. “We all knew the person that was in duress. So I think there was a ton of concern where I wanted her to be okay. Not just because she’s a community member, but a person that I know.”

The Power of Repetition and Readiness

The ZOLL AED pads were placed on Myrtle’s chest and the device advised a shock. Once the shock was administered, Huggins regained a pulse and was transported to a local hospital. She has since made a full recovery, thanks in large part to the confidence and quick action made possible by the officers’ annual training.

“There were guys there who’ve done CPR training and AED training every single year for 30 years,” DeVito explained. “And I think that might have been their first time actually implementing the AED on scene. So even though the training is repetitive and may seem tedious at times, it really does work because we all immediately jumped into action without any hesitation.”