Prince Albert Good Samaritan reflects on call for help

By Nigel Maxwell

Prince Albert’s Austin Baldwin says he does not consider himself a hero, just someone who was in the right place at the right time to help someone in need.

The 26-year-old former firefighter certainly was that when he happened to be passing through the Walmart parking lot on Saturday, and noticed a vehicle parked — in his words — “kind of funny.” There was also a group of people standing around the truck, pulling at the door handles.

“At first I kind of thought maybe it was just a kid who put the vehicle in drive or something,” Baldwin noted.

However, after taking a closer look, Baldwin discovered there was an elderly man inside the truck, hunched over and showing signs of being in medical distress. That’s when Baldwin moved to the back passenger window and smashed it to gain entry.

“I tried to use the ratchet from my wrench but the wrench wasn’t doing it so I ended up punching it with my hand,” he explained. “I cut my hand a little but that was the least of my worries.”

After unlocking the doors, Baldwin moved back to the driver’s side, and then checked the man’s vitals. Upon discovering the man was in cardiac arrest, Baldwin pulled the man from the truck and laid him on the ground before starting CPR.

“And I delegated a younger male to go into Walmart and grab the defibrillator,” Baldwin recalled.

While waiting, Baldwin continued chest compressions and rescue breathing. Then, with the defibrillator in hand, he shocked the man twice before EMS arrived and took over.

Noting the importance of learning CPR, Baldwin also explained even people with the training can get scared and forget. He added that’s why the best-case scenario for someone who encounters someone else in medical distress is to call 911 as soon as possible.

“Everybody likes when people say ‘good job,’ but at the end of the day I would do it all over again. And if no one recognizes it, I’m just happy that gentleman gets to enjoy Christmas with his family,” Baldwin said.

Noting the hustle and bustle that comes with the holiday season, Lyle Karasiuk, a spokesperson with Parkland Ambulance, encouraged people to be on the lookout for someone in need of help and to assist if they are able.

While acknowledging that not everyone has CPR training, Karasiuk said simple measures such as keeping someone warm and giving the dispatcher proper directions can go a long way.

“You may not think you’re doing very much but these simple actions can do a lot,” he said.