Airman's quick thinking saves life

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erin O'Shea
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  It was a typical Monday morning for Airman 1st Class Erik Walker as he was driving to work, until he noticed something that looked rather out of the ordinary.

Walker investigated by heading towards an enclosed dog park in Suffolk, England, June 8, where he discovered a woman slumped over on the ground.

"I stopped to investigate and as I was going towards her, it turns out she was having a seizure," said Erik Walker, 48th Operations Support Squadron airfield systems technician. "I notified a passerby to contact the paramedics as I was making sure the scene was safe. I held her head to protect her as much as I could."

Passerby Doug Webb, a local resident, first noticed Walker tending to the frail woman on the ground while walking his dog.

"I hurried over and saw that he was trying to keep her as comfortable as possible whilst preventing her from hurting herself," said Webb. "He was very calm and collected, and very gentlemanly."

Webb dialed the emergency medical services, and was instructed to lift the woman off the ground and onto a bench.

While waiting for the paramedics to arrive, the woman had another seizure. Webb and Walker both supported her head while trying to stabilize her.

"She came around a little and began talking, but soon went back into seizure," Webb said. "She was struggling and banging Airman Walker's arms, but he carried on soothing her and showed no discomfort."

Once medical personnel arrived and took over, the woman was transported to the hospital to receive proper medical attention.

Walker said he is thankful for the training he has received while serving in the Air Force, as it was a contributing factor that helped save her life.

"The training in the Air Force definitely put me in a better position to be confident in my abilities and take the appropriate actions," Walker said.

"In this day and age, it renewed my faith in human nature to see that there are people who, despite all the urgencies in their lives, still care." Webb concluded. "I felt that Airman Walker's actions were highly commendable and showed the United States Air Force in an extremely good light. It's great to know that we have neighbors like that around us."