A life saved, and a life-saving gift
March 02, 2015
UW-Whitewater Police Lt. Faye Schouten, left, presides at a donation ceremony with a cardiac arrest victim and his rescuers on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, in the UW-Whitewater Children's Center. With Schouten are lecturer Scott Neubauer; police officers Josh Kuehl and Kelsey Servi, senior lecturer Melissa Deller and her daughter, UW-Whitewater freshman Camille Deller. Kuehl and Servi used an automated external defibrillator to save Neubauer's life on Jan. 26. The Dellers summoned help and assisted rescuers. ©UW-Whitewater/Craig Schreiner
On Jan. 26, Scott Neubauer's heart stopped.
It was at 7:23 p.m. in a second-floor hallway in Laurentide Hall.
Neubauer, a retired police chief who teaches criminology at UW-Whitewater, had just returned from a class and was walking past the door of his friend and colleague, Melissa Deller.
"We heard him make a ‘whoa' sound and then he collapsed right outside my office," Deller said.
Deller's daughter Camille, a freshman criminology major who was visiting her mother in her office at the time, called 911 while Melissa tended to her colleague.
"He was making snoring noises, so we thought that was a good sign that he might be breathing. I unzipped his jacket, and Camille and I were relaying information to the dispatcher," she said.
In an extremely fortunate coincidence, UW-Whitewater Police Officer Josh Kuehl -- a former Marine who completed one tour in Iraq -- was in the parking lot of the very building where Scott collapsed in a squad car with an automated external defibrillator.
"I heard the call on my radio, grabbed my bag, which contained an AED, and rushed to find him," Kuehl said. "He was on the floor. I checked for a pulse and couldn't find one. He wasn't breathing or responding."
Officer Kelsey Servi arrived as Kuehl was placing the AED pads on Neubauer's chest.
"I couldn't believe it was Scott. I recently taught a class with him. Because his field is criminology, our officers will serve as guest speakers from time to time, carrying out demonstrations," Servi said. "When I arrived, Scott's face had turned blue, and we started CPR. The AED advised us to shock him. We did. His body really jolted."
The officers continued chest compressions and breaths and followed with a second shocking cycle.
"It was an intense and dynamic situation, but your training kicks in and you just do what you need to do," Servi said.
"It was very troubling and traumatic to watch him get zapped," Deller said. "But after the second time, they found a pulse."
Camille, who had gone downstairs, flagged the emergency medical technicians as they arrived and directed them to Neubauer's location. They took over and transported him to the hospital.
Neubauer missed only one class.
He is already back teaching and is recovering well.
"I wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for the officers and the AED," Neubauer said. "All I can say is thank you."
On Feb. 26, the company from which UW-Whitewater purchases AEDs donated one to Neubauer. He, in turn, donated it to the Children's Center.
"He's an amazing person," Deller said. "It's very apropos that the AED is placed in the Children's Center. For much of his career, he's been focused on child abuse prevention and he is very passionate about child safety."
That makes three AEDs in Roseman Building now, and a total of 43 on campus.
All UW-Whitewater police officers are certified instructors through the American Heart Association to teach CPR/AED and first aid for infants, children and adults.
Police Services offers free classes, and the next scheduled dates are March 12, April 16, April 18, April 24. Visit my.uww.edu for details. In 2014, 671 people were trained.
"What happened to Scott shows the impact that CPR/AED training can have," Servi said. "Emergencies happen in a split second. You have to be able to react and know where the resources are."