Dispatcher Lindsay Gillip received “The Beat Goes On” Award on June 10th, 2022.

The award was given by the Louisa County Ambulance Service, which handled the call she had taken. According to Dispatcher Gillip, the award is given to those involved in a call involving a cardiac event save.

The award itself was given in recognition of an incident that occurred on March 22nd, 2022. Dispatcher Gillip received a 911 phone call about a 39-year-old male who was having breathing problems. She immediately paged the appropriate emergency workers and used the EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch) questions to gather more information. Dispatcher Gillip disconnected the call due to mapping issues and the male appearing to be doing better, but quickly rejoined the call when the man became unconscious and stopped breathing. She then helped the caller conduct CPR over the phone, as well as pulse and airway checks. The 39-year-old male is alive and well today thanks to Dispatcher Gillip’s assistance.

When asked about winning the award, she says that while she is grateful for it, meeting both the male’s family and the caller who dialed 911 was the highlight of the whole situation.

Dispatcher Gillip emphasizes the importance of knowing CPR for anyone in a similar situation. When one is on a call and the stress level is high, it is beneficial to know CPR in order to assist others. Knowing your location at all times also results in the quickest assistance.