S-A-B-C, the difference between life and death

Senior Airman David Kitchen 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, aerial transportation journeyman, holds a first aid kit he has used many times, when aiding to passengers emergencies at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. In the past month, Kitchen has used skills acquired from his civilian emergency medical technician job and military self-aid buddy care training, to save three passengers lives here. Kitchen is deployed from the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard and is a native of Mount Sterling, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)

S-A-B-C, the difference between life and death

Senior Airman David Kitchen 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, aerial transportation journeyman, stands in front of a forklift with a photograph of his uncle and role model, Tech. Sgt. Robert Comer at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Kitchen’s says his uncle, also in the same career field and same unit, is the reason he joined the military. Kitchen is deployed from the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard and is a native of Mount Sterling, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)

S-A-B-C, the difference between life and death

Published June 26, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade
455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- "I wouldn't really consider these lifesaving gestures, I was just doing what I am trained to do," said Senior Airman David Kitchen, 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, aerial transportation journeyman.

In many circumstances training acquired in the military helps Airmen save lives, but for Kitchen, his civilian job skills also contributed to him saving three lives here in the past month.

Kitchen is an emergency medical technician and firefighter in Dayton, Ohio, when he is not serving with the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard.

"His emergency medical technician skills are useful when someone needs medical assistance in one of the busiest passenger terminals in Afghanistan," said Staff Sgt. Donald Kraft, Kitchen's supervisor.

The terminal transports more than 1,200 passengers a day through Bagram. One of those passengers was an elderly man in his mid-fifties.

"He was complaining of chest pains and blurred vision, when Airmen 1st Class Hixson came and retrieved me to see if I could help him," said Kitchen. "After taking his pulse and asking detailed questions I found out the elderly man had hypertension and forgot to take his medication."

The importance of knowing Self-Aid Buddy Care was also reiterated during these emergency situations.

"I tell everyone I work with to understand SABC because it may mean life or death in some situations," said Kitchen, who is also a SABC instructor. "Even if you are not in a medical field, if you know SABC, you can still do life saving measures until the paramedics arrive."

Although Kitchen says he has always loved helping people, his family has long tradition of providing civil service and saving lives. Since he can remember, he has wanted to follow in his uncle's footsteps, who is also a member of the same guard unit and works in Columbus as a firefighter and paramedic.

"My uncle, Tech. Sgt. Robert Comer, is the reason I work so hard at everything I do. And the reason I wanted to be a paramedic and join the military," said Kitchen, native of Mount Sterling, Ohio.

Days later, Kitchen talked to the elderly man as he was getting on a flight and he thanked him for saving his life.