How City water employees recently helped to save a coworker’s life

City employees receive many different kinds of training, but one type — how to perform CPR — recently helped to save the life of a coworker.

Several employees at a City drinking water treatment plant on Dec. 4, 2023, were planning their day when one of them collapsed. Brett Martin, a City Department of Utilities machinist, had suffered a heart attack.

Fortunately, Martin’s coworkers reacted quickly.

Qintno Sarani, a Utilities machinist, alerted his supervisor and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, a life-saving procedure that helps keep blood flowing to the brain and vital organs during cardiac arrest.

The supervisor, Antonio Jimenez, called the Sacramento Fire Department for medical assistance.

Sarani and a Utilities electrician, David Jameson, continued performing CPR until the fire department arrived minutes later.

Paramedics continued life-saving efforts until they transferred Martin to an emergency room. After several days in the hospital, Martin was released.

Because his coworkers knew and performed CPR immediately, and because the fire department arrived quickly, Martin suffered no brain damage.

City Department of Utilities Machinist Brett Martin, who survived a heart attack, speaks at a Sacramento Fire Department press conference on Feb. 7.

Jameson, Jimenez and Sarani were recently recognized for helping save Martin’s life by Sacramento City Council.

“The way everything happened, it definitely was a miracle,” said Jimenez at a Council meeting on Feb. 6. “I want to champion this whole idea for everybody here if you ever get the opportunity to take [CPR] training, please take it.”

The employees were also recognized by the Sacramento Fire Department at a press conference on Feb. 7.

According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival after cardiac arrest.

Top photo: From left to right: Machinist Qintno Sarani, Machinist Brett Martin, Superintendent Antonio Jimenez and Electrician David Jameson stand together after a press conference recognizing the employees at Sacramento Fire Station No. 14.