On World Heart Day, we would like to highlight how one of our employees works to improve safety for our employees and the larger community. Today, Senior Director of Energy Resources Dylan Bearce shares why the Save A Life Foundation has a place in his heart.
CPR training became less hypothetical on a Friday evening when a frantic young man came knocking on Dylan Bearce’s front door, begging him to call 911.
A man had been handing out flyers door to door in the heat when he had a seizure and fell to the sidewalk, cracking his head on the concrete.
Dylan, who had taken an intensive, two-day CPR course the year before, took action. He rolled the bleeding man over, cleared his airway and cleared a space so the injured man wouldn’t hurt himself more until first responders came.
Just two days later, an elderly woman at church had a seizure in the restroom and hit her head. Again, with no one qualified to help, his training took hold. He directed someone to call 911, another to watch for the ambulance, and another to help him as he rendered assistance. CPR helps provide oxygen to the brain and heart with the goal of saving lives and staving off irreversible physical damage.
“We wouldn’t have CPR classes if they weren’t important for safety, but here in the span of a single weekend it really drove it all home how much of a direct impact you can have in saving someone’s life,” said Dylan, Director of Tucson Power Production. “It wasn’t like I was responsible for miraculous acts like ripping off a door and coming to the rescue, but there’s great value in sharing knowledge and building someone’s confidence to step in and help if they’re needed.”
That was eight years ago. Not long after, he would join the Board of Directors for Save A Life Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1979 that provides CPR and first aid training in Tucson. A TEP representative has been on the board since its inception.
In 2020, Safe A Life trained almost 400 TEP staff employees, split between Transmission and Distribution staff, and Tucson Power Production.
Still on the Board, Dylan appreciates that the organization keeps overhead low and prices affordable for trainings, taught by active-duty firefighters for everyone from bus drivers to babysitters who may be called upon to provide assistance.
“I’m in Operations, where clearly safety is imperative. For me, it’s not just a check box. It’s a duty. I live it, I breathe it, I love it, I value it,” he said. “Save A Life is mission-driven to support life, health and safety. That resonates with my values so I appreciate being able to serve as an industry representative for this group.”
