STARKVILLE — What could have been a horrific Fourth of July accident was averted after a Starkville Police Department officer administered life-saving CPR to a drowning victim, Frank Darnell Elam.
Elam, 26, of Eupora, his wife, son, and other family members love to swim. So they booked a room at the Microtel Inn & Suites in Starkville to swim and enjoy the Fourth of July holiday.
A car accident four years ago left Elam partially paralyzed. Elam could swim before the car accident and has never had trouble swimming since. So together, the family headed to the hotel’s pool.
“My wife, little sister, niece and my child were already in the water when I got in. And considering my history, they felt no obligation to monitor me or anything. I hopped in shortly after them and went for a refreshing backstroke through the pool,” Elam told The Dispatch. “A little bit of water came across my face and I reacted because it kind of stunned me but I didn’t feel in danger. I didn’t even exhibit signs of struggle. I turned over and started swimming to the ladder.”
The next thing he remembers, though, is waking up surrounded by officers and paramedics, his wife in hysterics.
One of those officers was SPD Officer Lane McTaggart. At 7:53 p.m. on July 4, McTaggart was dispatched to the Microtel, to reports that an adult male had drowned in the hotel’s pool. McTaggart arrived at the scene swiftly, rolled Elam onto his back, assessed that he was unresponsive and immediately began to administer CPR.
The officer performed several rounds of CPR as emergency services were en-route. Elam, who had previously been unresponsive, is seen in body camera footage coming back to life under McTaggart’s hands.
“It’s just being able to work under stress and to know the importance of the situation. Just blocking everything else out like ‘I have to do this,’” McTaggart said on how he responded quickly and kept his composure throughout the stressful situation.
McTaggart has been on the force for just more than a year. It was his first time using his CPR training.
During the incident, a hotel employee, Etta Hall, assisted McTaggart by giving Elam emergency breathing, or mouth to mouth. Hall said that something had just told her to go outside.
“I’ve never been in a situation like that before. I’m just thankful that he’s alive and well,” Hall told The Dispatch.
Hall also happens to be CPR certified, completing CPR training in 2019 and receiving her certification from Accelerated Dental Assisting Academy in Olive Branch.
The entire incident was captured in body-camera footage that the department uploaded to YouTube on Friday, which has since been viewed more than 4,500 times.
It’s been just over a year since the department started utilizing new body and vehicle cameras. The state of the art BodyWorn equipment continuously performs “pre-event” recording, but begins actively recording once it senses a trigger.
In this case, McTaggart leaving his vehicle and running to the poolside is what triggered the active recording yielding the harrowing video the department was then able to share.
“The actions Officer Lane McTaggart initiated at the scene saved this patient’s life. Early CPR made a difference between life and death,” said Michael Hunt, paramedic and OCH Regional Medical Center EMS director said in the video. “We are blessed to have officers that are trained in CPR. If it were not for the officer’s quick response there could have been a tragic outcome.”
Now, more than a week removed from the incident, Elam is doing well. After being taken to the hospital by OCH, he was released that night. In his own words, Elam is back like he never left and immensely grateful for everyone that helped him that day.
“As Christians, we describe that as a miracle, so that has to make them angels. Workers of God,” Elam said. “I’m forever grateful and could never repay them for their dedication to a complete stranger. That’s love.”
CPR training and how to get it
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 8,080 nonfatal drownings and 3,960 fatal drownings every year. While children are the most susceptible to drowning, it can happen to anyone. Rapid administration of CPR is often the difference between life and death.
“When you find someone unresponsive and not breathing, most bystanders who have not taken a CPR class call 911 — which is great — and then they pray or wait or cry. They don’t know what else to do,” said Hildred Deese, Oktibbeha-Starkville Emergency Response Volunteer Services Health Chair. “If they knew CPR, they could start compressions and breathing. And that would be the victim’s best chance of survival until advanced help arrives.”
Deese leads CPR classes and explained that CPR — which is short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation — is composed of two skills, which are compressions and breathing.
In the video of the Fourth of July incident, McTaggart is performing compressions while Hall assisted with breathing.
“Compressions are very important in that they help to send blood from the heart to all organs in the body. And that’s what kind of keeps the organs alive — getting that blood sent in between when the person is found and when advanced help arrives,” Deese said. “So normally, compressions and breathing are administered for pretty much a maximum of ten minutes to keep the person alive until the ambulance arrives.”
All SPD officers are trained in CPR as are most medical professionals. Civilians who wish to learn CPR have a variety of options. OSERVS offers Heartsaver, a course for individuals who are not in the healthcare profession. Additionally, courses are available at the Red Cross and OCH Regional Medical Center.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
