Update – This incident at Oliver occurred Wednesday January 30 – flown to Vancouver after heart attack in the SO Secondary School gymnasium.

Picture: Grade 8 student Dilshaan Dhaliwal at Vancouver Children’s Hospital. “If it wasn’t for the AED machine and the teachers being able to jump in so quickly without any thinking and starting CPR and using the AED, I probably wouldn’t be alive right now,” said Dhaliwal. He was released from hospital last week.

Dhaliwal is scheduled to undergo open-heart surgery for aortic valve stenosis at the end of February. The surgery will repair one valve to ensure his heart can pump enough blood to his body.

Source: Global BC

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Below a report published February 2nd

Two teachers at SOSS credited with saving the life of a young male student this week.

The unidentified student went into cardiac arrest during a gym class on Wednesday morning at Southern Okanagan Secondary School – given first aid and flown to Vancouver’s Children’s hospital.

“Kids were getting ready to pack up and get changed and get onto their next class and then we had a young fellow collapse,” teacher Steve Podmorow stated.

Podmorow, along with fellow teacher Mike Russo jumped in to help.

“It’s nerve wracking, it’s a real serious situation,” Russo said, adding there was no prior warning of any medical distress.

“He was fine before and talking and everything was really normal, so it was really unexpected and a big shock,” he said.

Bev Young School District 53 Superintendent says “I believe there is one elementary school who had one on order but otherwise all of our schools have at least one,” …..

Young said she sent out a letter to the schools in her district following the incident with an important reminder.

“To check their AEDs, check that the batteries are working,” she said. “This is a good opportunity for folks to check them to assure that they are working and there is enough for the size of the building.

Source: with files from Global Okanagan