News Flash

Home

Posted on: November 3, 2022

Heroic Actions Recognized by Salem Fire & EMS

Salem Fire Department Logo

When Mary-Beth Beckner arrived at Salem’s Station One to formally meet the individuals who saved her life in early October, she immediately broke the socially awkward nature of the moment by saying, “You are the ones who saw me naked, and I appreciate you more than you will ever know.”

Near death experiences have a funny way of putting things in perspective, as Beckner unexpectedly found out on October 6 just a few minutes after leaving her job at Graham-White Manufacturing on Colorado Street.

“I still cannot imagine that I was lying dead on the side of the road,” she says. “Every time I get another little detail about that day, I get emotional.”

Just after 4 p.m. that afternoon, Beckner turned off Apperson Drive onto Route 419 heading out of Salem toward the Cave Spring area. She had barely passed the Verizon store on the corner when her car veered into the curb near Rotary Park.

“I saw her hit the brakes and go up on the curb as we turned the corner and I first thought she was having car trouble,” says Casey Steagall, who was driving her personal vehicle just behind Beckner. “As I pulled beside her, I could see she was slumped over, and my immediate instinct was to help her.”

Thousands of cars travel the Electric Road corridor each day and on that sunny afternoon hundreds of motorists drove by the accident and never once thought about stopping to help. Some blew their horns, several flashed their lights, a few took out their phones to take a drive-by video, but only two jumped in the fray without hesitation.Heroes9

“The police officers told me that if my car had not been there for her vehicle to roll into, she could have gone over the embankment and into the river,” says Steagall. “After her car stopped, I got out of mine and ran to her, and I could see she was unconscious.”

After calling 911, Steagall, who is a veteran nurse at Vistar’s West Main Street office in Salem, immediately put her 14 years of experiences and training to work and pulled Beckner from the car. As she was just getting set to begin CPR, another motorist, Evan Friedman, pulled over and ran to the scene.

“I used to work for Roanoke County as a paramedic and I just saw that something wasn’t right,” he says. “I had to make sure this individual didn’t need more help.”

Freidman, who owns a construction business in the Glenvar area, was heading home from work just like Steagall and Beckner. The fact that two medical professionals trained in emergency care would come to Beckner’s aid on a congested throughfare is beyond coincidence for the victim.

“God and I are pretty tight, and he knows I haven’t finished my work here yet,” says Beckner. “He has more things for me to do and thanks to Casey and Evan I am still here. They are my guardian angels, and I will never be able to repay them.”

“Daily, I think about how everything happened exactly like it was supposed to,” says Steagall. “It is incredible.”

Salem Fire and EMS crews arrived at the scene in just four minutes and found advanced CPR in progress. The medics took over the care and after two shocks from the automated external defibrillator (AED) the patient regained her pulse. By the time Beckner reached LewisGale Medical Center she was breathing again.

“It’s not often that this outcome happens,” says Friedman. “It is pretty special.”

Beckner had a cardiac catheterization done at LewisGale and two blockages in her heart were eventually cleared. She spent a total of three days in the hospital before resuming her life.

“I just hoped to hear good news that night, because not all stories end like this one,” says Steagall. “I think I will always have a part of her with me and I am just so grateful to see her alive and well and happy. It is just amazing.”

Had it not been for Steagall and Friedman the ending to the story could have been much different. After a few minutes without oxygenated blood going to the brain, brain cells start to die-off and never return. After about six minutes, the brain has suffered so much damage that it often only functions at a diminished level, if at all.

“I am so proud of these two individuals and our medic staff members who responded to the call that day and did exactly what they are trained to do,” says John Prillaman, Salem Fire and EMS Chief. “This is one of those positive outcomes that all of us will remember for a long, long time.”

The quality CPR that Steagall and Friedman provided kept Beckner’s brain well oxygenated and gave her a chance to survive and visit Fire Station One on October 27 with her family. That night she was able to properly express her gratitude, shed some tears and see her guardian angels receive special recognition from the Salem Fire and EMS Department for their heroic actions.

“This is all still very surreal to me but the one thing I do know is that I want to be an advocate for CPR training,” says Beckner. “I want people to know that we need funding for training, for nurses and first responders and we need to make sure there are more defibrillators. I want to create awareness for the importance of saving lives like mine.”



Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in Home

Salem City Seal

2023 Holiday Events All Set for Salem

Posted on: November 17, 2023
Salem City Seal

2023 Halloween Events Set For Salem

Posted on: October 3, 2023
Salem Civic Center Logo

Hitmaker Dustin Lynch Returning to Salem

Posted on: September 21, 2023
Salem City Seal

Electoral Board Meets on September 11

Posted on: September 9, 2023
Salem City Seal

Salem Seeks City Manager Applicants

Posted on: September 5, 2023
Salem Civic Center Logo

Salem Fair Enjoys The Ride in 2023

Posted on: July 10, 2023
Salem Civic Center Logo

Heavy Metal Rockers Coming to Salem

Posted on: June 13, 2023
Salem Fire Department Logo

Structure Fire at 2011 Apperson Dr.

Posted on: April 22, 2023
Salem Fire Department Logo

Structure Fire at 16 McDivitt Road

Posted on: April 22, 2023
Salem Parks and Recreation Logo

2023 Easter Egg Hunt Set for April 5

Posted on: March 21, 2023
Salem Civic Center Logo

New Owners for the Salem Red Sox

Posted on: March 17, 2023
Salem Fire Department Logo

Early Morning Fire on West Main Street

Posted on: January 14, 2023
Salem City Seal

2022 Holiday Events All Set in Salem

Posted on: November 22, 2022
Salem Civic Center Logo

Indoor Pro Lacrosse Coming to Salem

Posted on: November 21, 2022
Salem Parks and Recreation Logo

2022 Halloween Activities Set in Salem

Posted on: October 20, 2022
Salem Fire Department Logo

Salem Fire and EMS Extinguish 9th St. Fire

Posted on: September 25, 2022
Salem Police Department Logo

Salem Police Receive Statewide HEAT Honor

Posted on: September 16, 2022
Salem City Seal

Olde Salem Days 2022 Traffic Information

Posted on: September 7, 2022
Salem City Seal

Apperson Bridge Sidewalks Closed

Posted on: May 22, 2022
Salem Civic Center Logo

Paw Patrol LIVE Coming to Salem In June

Posted on: February 14, 2022
Salem Fire Department Logo

Yokohama Fire Causes $160,000 Damage

Posted on: December 20, 2021
Salem Police Department Logo

Police Arrest Two for Stealing from Cars

Posted on: December 3, 2021
Salem City Seal

2021 Holiday Events Announced for Salem

Posted on: November 17, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

Commercial Fire at MedExpress on West Main

Posted on: November 10, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

Three Pets Perish in Peach Street Fire

Posted on: November 5, 2021
Salem City Seal

Council Proclaims Murray Cook Day in Salem

Posted on: September 28, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

Structure Fire on Azalea Street

Posted on: August 27, 2021

Parker McCollum is Coming to Salem

Posted on: August 26, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

Structure Fire on Victoria Street

Posted on: April 3, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

Dog Perishes in Front Avenue Fire

Posted on: March 30, 2021
Salem City Schools Logo

Epperly Named Assistant Principal at SHS

Posted on: February 10, 2021
Salem Police Department Logo

Goodman Named Police Officer of the Year

Posted on: February 10, 2021
Salem City Schools Logo

Kayla Wood Named SHS Girls Soccer Coach

Posted on: February 10, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

House Fire on Valleydale Avenue

Posted on: January 23, 2021
Salem City Seal

I-81 Widening Meeting Set for Feb. 9

Posted on: January 11, 2021
Salem City Seal

Local COVID-19 Vaccination Plans

Posted on: January 11, 2021
Salem Fire Department Logo

Structure Fire on Stonewall Circle

Posted on: January 4, 2021
Salem City Seal

Need Help with Utility Bills Payment?

Posted on: December 21, 2020
Salem City Seal

2020 Holiday Events Set For December

Posted on: November 30, 2020
Salem City Seal

Salem Receives Second State Tourism Grant

Posted on: November 16, 2020
Salem City Schools Logo

Boyd Named SHS Boys Basketball Coach

Posted on: November 12, 2020
Salem Police Department Logo

Salem Murder Suspect Arrested in West Va.

Posted on: November 10, 2020
Salem City Seal

Salem Awarded 15 New NCAA Championships

Posted on: October 14, 2020
Salem City Schools Logo

Salem School Division Earns Statewide Honor

Posted on: September 21, 2020
Salem Parks and Recreation Logo

2020 Salem Half Marathon Goes All Virtual

Posted on: September 14, 2020
Salem Parks and Recreation Logo

Parks & Rec Offering New Wellness Classes

Posted on: September 8, 2020
Salem City Seal

Phase II Downtown Revitalization Underway

Posted on: September 3, 2020
Salem City Seal

Rob Light Named Assistant City Manager

Posted on: August 24, 2020
Salem Parks and Recreation Logo

Salem Half Marathon COVID-19 Update

Posted on: July 30, 2020
Salem City Seal

Council Extends Due Dates for Taxes

Posted on: April 14, 2020
Salem City Seal

Local Governments Declare Emergencies

Posted on: March 16, 2020
Salem Police Department Logo

Police Make Arrest in Baymont Inn Incident

Posted on: February 19, 2020
Salem Fire Department Logo

Residential Fire on West Riverside Dr.

Posted on: February 16, 2020
Salem Civic Center Logo

Americana Music Artists Coming to Salem

Posted on: February 10, 2020
Salem Police Department Logo

Webb Named Salem Officer of the Year

Posted on: January 21, 2020
Salem City Schools Logo

Adam Ward Classic Expands for 2020

Posted on: January 14, 2020
Salem Fire Department Logo

Commercial Fire on Salem Industrial Dr.

Posted on: January 5, 2020