“Calm, focused and prepared”, a bartender and a security officer kept their cool when saving the lives of two residents at a Naples retirement village.
The North Collier Fire Department helped honor Ralph Portillo and Jimmy Montanez, both employees at the Vi at Bentley Village, when, on two occasions, both men had to jump into action to save a life.
To honor their act of heroism, the North Collier Fire District recently presented Portillo and Montanez with a life-saving award.
“You were spot on, both of you, in your instincts, what to do, when to do it, how to do it and we can’t thank you enough,” Penny Smith, executive director of the Vi at Bentley Village, said.
“We thank you for the example that you are of a great place to work, with great employees that work here.”
At the award presentation on June 17, Safety Security Manager at the Vi at Bentley Village, Jeremiah Carroll, said that even the smallest action, such as calling for help, performing CPR or offering comfort can have a significant impact and make the difference between life and death.
“Today, I want to highlight Ralph and Jimmy, who truly embody the spirit of humanity. Their ability to jump into action when called demonstrates their character and commitment in times of crisis,” Carroll said.
“It is gentlemen like Ralph and Jimmy — calm, focused and prepared — that use their training to save lives. Their actions serve as a powerful reminder of the difference one can make.”
Ralph Portillo has worked at the Vi at Bentley Village for about 10 years, seven of which were with the security department.
Portillo said that he received a phone call from a resident who said that her husband wasn’t breathing. Portillo immediately reported to the resident’s home and attempted to revive the man and open his airways until first responders arrived.
“It’s just something that we are trained to do. It’s just an instinct,” Portillo said.
Employees at the Vi at Bentley Village receive training and certification every two years for various life-saving techniques such as CPR and first aid.
“I get proud that I was able to save somebody’s life. And grateful that I was able to practive what I was taught by these people,” Portillo said upon gesturing toward the North Collier Fire District representatives.
Montanez has been a bartender at one of the onsite restaurants at the Vi at Bentley Village for three years.
On the day that he had to jump into action, a resident and regular at his bar had come in for food and drinks with her daughter when she began choking.
Montanez said she began turning blue so he performed the Heimlich maneuver on the woman.
Montanez said that in that moment, he was able to stay calm and not panic, assess the situation and start doing what he had been taught to do.
“After that, you start thinking about life. It’s just by a thread. It can just be broken instantly, but just a simple second can save somebody’s life,” Montanez said.
The Vi at Bentley Village is home to just more than 1,000 retirees. The facility receives frequent emergency calls from its residents and thus, maintains a “great relationship” with the North Collier Fire District, Carroll said.
The most common emergency calls received from the Vi at Bentley Village are in reference to falls.
“There’s a lot of work that’s done behind the scenes of being preemptive, not waiting for something to happen, to be reactive. The Vi at Bentley Village has always been proactive,” Michael Jimenez, the deputy chief of the North Collier Fire District, said.
“That collaboration that we continue to have between Bentley and us has always put them above and beyond everyone else.”
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: North Collier Fire department celebrates two civilians for saving lives of Naples retirees
Reporting by Tayeba Hussein, Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
