POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- The time is roughly 8:30 on a Wednesday night. It is five minutes into an intramural basketball game where two Pope teams are competing for victory. Suddenly, the focus shifts from a battle for victory to a battle to save a fallen opponent's life.
When a player from the opposing team collapsed at the Pope Fitness Center's basketball court Feb. 18, two players from the 43rd Medical Group team, and a team spectator, were quick to act.
Staff Sgt. Monique Holloman, a former Pope member now stationed with the 60th Medical Operations Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., was watching from the stands when she noticed the player fall head first to the floor.
"I first thought he had tripped, but then realized he needed help when I noticed he couldn't get back up," Sergeant Holloman said. "I went out to see if he was OK. After a minute or so, the player's eyes dilated and he stopped breathing, so I ran and got the Automatic External Defibrillator as the other two [responders] started cardiopulmonary resuscitation."
The "other two responders" were Senior Airmen Nathaniel Hardaway, recently transferred to Kunsan Air Base, Korea, and Freddy Rengifo, 43rd Medical Operations Squadron.
Airman Rengifo's first reaction was to assess the extent of the player's injuries. After checking his airway, breathing and circulation, he stated that the member needed CPR and began performing chest compressions.
The three responders pulled together as a team, providing life-saving techniques in order to revive the unconscious player.
This team effort came as no surprise to Sergeant Holloman, who had worked with these other Airmen previously.
"I used to work with them at the Pope clinic, and we worked very well together," she said. "They performed CPR (on the injured player) while I used the AED. They responded just as I knew they would."
The rescuers also agreed that the Air Force training they receive is crucial in moments like this one.
"Because of my prior training, performing CPR was second nature," Airman Rengifo said. "I felt confident and prepared to help."
Sergeant Holloman agreed.
"Training helps tremendously, and working in the emergency room has helped me a lot too," she said. "I just did what I was trained to do; it was my job to respond. I couldn't just sit by and not do anything."
Fortunately for the injured player, his responders' training paid off, and he is alive to play another game -- something that makes a big difference to his rescuers.
"I felt uplifted knowing that I had saved someone's life -- knowing that he could go home to his family another day," Airman Rengifo said.
Sergeant Holloman said it's important for those who might find themselves in a similar situation to stay calm, confident and remember the basics: airway, breathing and circulation (pulse).
"Always remember to grab the [Automatic External Defibrillator]; you never know when you are going to need it," she added.
It's a good thing she did because that player would not be here today otherwise. He stopped breathing nearly three minutes before regaining a pulse and becoming coherent.
The saying goes, "It does not matter whether you win or lose; it's how you play the game." Based on that maxim, it's easy to conclude, on that night both teams won.