Karl Arps was demonstrating the signs of a heart attack during a training course when he really had one, and went into cardiac arrest. Realizing that something was amiss, students at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisc., immediately sprung into action. The last thing the 72-year-old remembers is feeling dizzy and hearing a student say that he didn't look right. The next thing he remembers is waking up in an ambulance. Student Logan Lehrer, a firefighter training as an EMT, remembers the moment he realized something was off. Arps' hand had curled outward, his face was contorted and he began snoring. For a second, Lehrer says he thought it might be a joke or a test, but he felt a pit in his stomach. The students called over another instructor, Traci Blondeau, who tried to "snap him out of it," and soon realized Arps wasn't acting. Lehrer called 911, while the others attended to Arps. Under the guidance of their instructor, they took turns administering CPR and a defibrillator until first responders arrived on the scene. Arps wound up undergoing a triple bypass and is now on the mend. Lehrer says the experience has taught him a lot about staying cool while responding to emergency situations.
