After nine days in the hospital, a near-death experience, and a major surgery, I wanted to write an open letter thanking the Luray Fire Department and the Luray Rescue Squad for their role in saving my life.
According to my husband, the Fire Department arrived first and the Rescue Squad a mere [three to four minutes] later. Since then, many have been involved in my survival — medics on the helicopter to Winchester, the doctors and nurses at Valley Health, those in my community who sent me thoughts and prayers, and of course my family members who watched over me day and night.
None of this other help, though, would have been possible or necessary without the immediate care and generous volunteerism of Luray’s fire fighters and rescue squad. My husband and I have supported these organizations since moving into our home in Luray in 2021, but of course our support will take on new meaning going forward.
I hope this letter inspires others in our community to support your organizations. Not many small towns have such responsive emergency care.
In my 30s, I did not expect to need you anytime soon. Life had other plans, however; and so I thank you, Fire and Rescue volunteers of Luray!
Lauren Canaday ~ Luray
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I live in Luray and work for the American Heart Association. Most sudden cardiac arrests that happen outside of a hospital happen at home. But most don’t end this well. Survival rates are far too low because far too few people know how to do Hands Only CPR. It is easy to learn – takes 90sec. I hope everyone who sees Lauren’s story goes to http://www.heart.org/handsonlycpr and learns this life saving skill today. It is FREE! And the life you save will likely be a family member. The professional rescuers can’t be onsite instantly and survival drops by 10% every minute someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest goes without CPR.
I am so glad Lauren had a terrific outcome – but too many do not.