Spotlight

Life-saving Assistance from Savanna Son

Savanna Son, Regional Operations Manager for SkyWest Airlines, says she was “just at the right place at the right time.”

Savanna had stayed late at the airport after her shift ended to keep her sister, niece and nephew company while they waited to catch a flight. While visiting at the gate, Savanna heard yelling. She rushed towards the noise and saw a passenger experiencing a health emergency.

Savanna’s continued qualification training she completes annually as a flight attendant kicked into gear. At first glance, she thought the passenger was having a seizure, but after seeing the elderly woman’s color change and checking for a pulse, Savanna realized she was no longer breathing.

Savanna is based in Boise and had walked through the Boise Airport many times. While walking, she made it a habit of noticing where emergency equipment was stored. She ran to retrieve the closest Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and followed the device’s instruction to deploy it on the passenger. After the initial shock, the elderly woman gasped for breath and came through. Afterwards, the City of Boise AED oversight MD, determined that Savanna’s quick thinking was a life-saving action.

Savanna was grateful she knew where the airport’s AEDs were located—helping her act quickly in this stressful scenario. Her guidance to us all, “be mindful when taking walks through the airport. Note where these good Samaritan devices are located. You never think you will actually need to use one—but they could save someone’s life.”