A Good Apple: How a Broken iPad Led to Life-Saving CPR

When Jake Royer broke his Umatilla Electric Cooperative company iPad in February, he had no idea it would lead to a live-saving event and a special recognition. That is, however, exactly what happened.

Royer is a journeyman meterman for Umatilla Electric Cooperative. As part of his job, he goes through CPR training every three years and a refresher course every year. Royer said the whole team takes it seriously.

“We all take it pretty seriously, the CPR training that we get and the AED training that we get. Normally, for us, being that we work a pretty dangerous job, we think it’s going to be one of our own employees if we have to use it,” he said. “All those years, going through that training, you think, ‘Oh, I hope I never have to use that.’”

On a typical day, Royer travels throughout the Umatilla Electric Cooperative service area visiting substations and troubleshooting equipment.

“If any meters aren’t searching in, I go out and troubleshoot, make repairs. I’m involved with the public a lot, answering questions on bill issues or electrical set ups they’re doing,” Royer said. “I put lots of miles on driving from Boardman and Irrigon to Meacham and Tollgate. It’s a great job.”

One day at the end of February was anything but typical. The day before, Royer had dropped and broken a portion of his company iPad. He was told to take the iPad in to be fixed. Royer decided to work in the morning and then take the iPad in to be repaired right before lunch so he could eat lunch at home.

“I drop it off, and I’m driving along the backside of the store… and I notice two cars ahead of me. They’ve slowed down, and they’re looking over to the side. I wonder what’s going on, so when I get up there, I look over, and I notice there was one man sitting up against the wall and another man shaking him,” Royer said. “I thought they were fighting at first, but, as I’m watching, I could see the one guy was nonresponsive. I backed in next to them, I got out, and I asked if everything was okay. The one guy says, ‘he won’t wake up, he won’t wake up.’”

At the same time, Alan Blackburn, another concerned citizen, also arrived on the scene. They were able to pull the unconscious man down flat. Royer tried a breathing check, but he said the man was turning purple. Blackburn and Royer started CPR.

“It’s funny to think about it now, but in training, they tell you a way to keep the beats is to think of the song, ‘Staying Alive.’ It popped in my head, and I’m singing in my head, ‘Staying Alive,’ while I’m doing compressions, trying to keep the right motion going,” he said. “(Blackburn) said, ‘hey, his color is coming back,’ and the next thing I know, there’s a police officer across from me.”

Both the police officer and a paramedic gave the unconscious man doses of Narcan, and a paramedic took over the CPR from Royer.

“The paramedic said, ‘when you’re ready, I’m going to take over for you. I remember at that point I lifted my hands, he took over and started CPR,” Royer said. “They loaded him into a gurney, and I heard someone say, ‘he’s got a pulse.’”

The man survived.

The day had a happy ending, but Royer said it was an emotional experience. Although the entire event only took five minutes, he said it felt like forever.

“When I went home, my arms and my chest were exhausted. I didn’t realize how much you put into it. After the adrenaline wears off, my arms and my chest were like rubber. These paramedics, these police officers that do this on a daily basis, it’s impressive.”

Royer will celebrate 28 years with UEC next month, but the company recently recognized him for his service above and beyond. Nominated by multiple coworkers, Royer was named UEC’s Employee of the Quarter.

“I love UEC. For me, it’s been a wonderful place to work, provided a wonderful lifestyle for my family,” he said. “All those years of training, you always wonder if you’re going to have to use it,” Royer said. I’m glad I was in the right area at the right time. It all worked out the way it was supposed to.”