Texas Border Business
ALAMO – Author, and screenwriter Michael Anthony Steele has the privilege to live to continue telling stories thanks to the rapid response of a Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD nurse and her Emergency Response Team at Santos Livas Elementary in Alamo. Nurse Jessica Ramos resuscitated the author twice after he collapsed from a heart attack at the campus on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018.
According to Nurse Ramos, Steele came into her office during a brief break in the presentation he was giving to students that morning.
“He came in stating he wasn’t feeling well. He was diaphoretic, white, pale, cold, clammy, and disoriented a little bit,” said Ramos who called 911 immediately after identifying the symptoms. “He could talk to me, but he couldn’t really carry the conversation continuously.”
The nurse shared that shortly after, the author had a seizure and lost consciousness. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she rapidly called the Santos Livas Elementary Emergency Response Team (ERT) who is a group of about 10 staff members from the school who may be CPR-certified and are trained to assist in physical or mental health emergencies.
Every school at PSJA ISD is required to have an ERT with staff members assigned a specific role in case of an emergency, according to PSJA ISD Health Services Department Director Sulema Solis.
“Mrs. Ramos saved a life!,” said Solis. “She was ready and prepared with her Emergency Response Team. Her team did a fantastic job in assisting her.”
