{"id":13877,"date":"2016-04-11T14:36:14","date_gmt":"2016-04-11T14:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=13877"},"modified":"2016-04-11T14:36:14","modified_gmt":"2016-04-11T14:36:14","slug":"runner-helps-save-mans-life-during-10k-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=13877","title":{"rendered":"Runner helps save man’s life during 10k race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watch the report HERE\u203a\u203a<\/a><\/p>\n

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT<\/a>) \u2013\u00a0<\/span>Matt Howell spent months preparing for the Monument Avenue 10k, but on Saturday, another type of training kicked into gear: the skills he uses every day as a firefighter and paramedic.<\/p>\n

Howell says the atmosphere at the starting line had him amped up, and he set out with a goal in mind. He wanted to finish the race in under an hour. \u201cI had worked on my pace a little bit on my other runs to get about 10-minute miles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the wind and cold weather, Howell says the race was going great until he reached mile marker three. That\u2019s when he noticed a fellow runner had collapsed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was unconscious, unresponsive. He was not breathing, didn\u2019t have a pulse,\u201d Howell said. \u201cI figured you know, I have a little medical training. I should be able to help out.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the past 10 years, Matt has been working as a firefighter and paramedic, most recently in Hanover County. On Saturday, he instantly went from athlete to an EMT. \u201cIt all becomes second nature. Once you have that training I just knew what to do,\u201d said Howell.<\/p>\n

Howell said several other runners were trying to help the man\u00a0and had already started CPR. Howell took over, and was able to get a defibrillator.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe shocked him one time,\u201d said Howell. \u201cI kind of helped direct the other folks to start CPR again and after two minutes of CPR he started breathing on his own and he had a good strong pulse.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that point, Howell said an ambulance arrived to take the runner to the hospital. Howell insists saving the man\u2019s life was a team effort, and he hopes that now more people will be inspired to learn CPR.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis wasn\u2019t something I did by myself. This was something that a lot of other people helped,\u201d Howell said. \u201cIf everyone who did the Monument 10k learned CPR before doing it, that\u2019s a lot of people in Richmond in the community that would be life savers.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the entire ordeal, Howell went on the finish the race.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t quite reach his goal on finishing in under an hour, instead clocking in at one hour and two minutes. He said he definitely plans to run again next year.<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"