Watching TV shows apparently taught a young mechanic how to save person's life. Cross Scott, an Arizona tire shop technician, saved a woman's life using CPR technique he learned from watching an episode of the TV sitcom The Office.
Learned CPR From 'The Office'
Scott was test driving a customer's vehicle on Jan. 11 when he saw a sedan pulling over with the hazards light blinking. When he inspected the vehicle, he saw an unconscious woman inside, slumped over the steering wheel.
He yelled for help while banging the door to wake up the unconscious driver. Two women driving by eventually pulled over and called 911.
Scott had to place a rock under the wheel to prevent the car from creeping forward and smashed the window open. When he checked the woman's pulse, Scott did not think she had one, so he decided to act since help could still be minutes away.
The 21-year-old has never done CPR before but he has fortunately seen an episode The Office that featured a failed CPR training among the Dunder Mifflin employees.
In that episode, the instructor showed actor Steve Carell's character Michael Scott the proper technique by doing chest compressions to the tune of Bee Gees' Stayin' Alive.
Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive'
The well-known disco hit Stayin' Alive happens to have the correct tempo for chest compression, which is 100 beats a minute.
Scott followed the technique recommended in the episode. He sang Stayin' Alive out loud while he performed CPR.
"I've never prepared myself for CPR in my life," Scott said. "I had no idea what I was doing."
Within a minute, the woman, later identified as Clare, started to breathe and threw up. She was taken to the hospital and released shortly after.
Jonathan Epstein, of the American Red Cross training services, said the young man appears to have done the right thing despite lacking CPR training.
