2 'Heroes' Honored For Saving Life At NorCal Gym

PETALUMA, CA — Petaluma Health Care District in partnership with the Petaluma Fire Department presented two Golden Heart Awards Thursday to Angelica Rivas and David Cassetta for the actions they took in saving a life with the help of an AED — automated external defibrillator —and CPR — cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

When a gym-goer at Petaluma City Sports, a fitness facility on N. McDowell Boulevard in the Deer Creek Village, suddenly went into cardiac arrest, Rivas, an employee of the gym, put her training into action and "immediately grabbed the gym's AED."

Simultaneously, Cassetta, a gym member, began CPR knowing that chest compressions were essential to keep the victim's blood circulating until the AED got the heart restarted.

Thanks to their quick thinking and prompt action, the victim made a full recovery, according to a news release from Petaluma Health Care District.

"We're delighted to honor Angelica and David’s quick thinking, cool heads and instant leap into action," said Tami Bender, PHCD's Healthquest CPR program manager. "They are true heroes."

According to Bender, the Golden Heart Award is used not only to honor life-saving heroes such as Rivas and Cassetta, but also to recognize individuals who distinguish themselves in promoting heart health as community volunteers or in supporting cardiac health programs and initiatives.

"... Keeping incidents like this from turning into tragedies is what drives PHCD to pursue a HeartSafe community for everyone," Bender said.

The outcome of the incident may not have been such a happy one if the batteries in the gym's AED were dead when Cassetta grabbed it.

"The only thing worse than not having an AED is having an AED that doesn't work," Bender said. "Our goal is that all businesses that have an AED on their premises will enroll in our AED maintenance program. It saves lives."

A PHCD-led initiative, the goal of the HeartSafe Community Program is to increase survival rates and reduce disability following sudden cardiac arrest. The program promotes heart health education and strengthens the community’s response to cardiac emergencies through CPR/AED certification and training, strategic AED installation and AED maintenance.

"AED maintenance is a particularly important part of our HeartSafe Community Program," said Bender. "Unfortunately, not all the AEDs in Petaluma or Sonoma County are regularly maintained."

That is why the Petaluma Health Care District, in partnership with Rancho Adobe Fire District, Petaluma Fire Department and other community partners, is hosting a free event Nov. 2 offering AED readiness inspections and registrations and AED and Hands Only CPR trainings.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Rancho Adobe Fire District in Cotati, and from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Petaluma Fire Station.