State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) was honored Monday in Decatur for his life-saving response to a heart attack suffered by colleague, State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), during an official visit to South Korea last summer. The Alabama Fire Academy also thanked lawmakers for expanding CPR training in public schools to include use of automated external defibrillators and hands-on training.

This law was passed by the Alabama Legislature, “Senator Tim Melson Act.”

Senator Melson's emergency occurred while the group was touring the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. People present said the group realized they were in danger when Senator Melson's face began to turn purple. Senator Oh jumped into action, ordering other senators to get Melson to the ground and beginning CPR with another senator performing chest compressions and continuing CPR until another senator could get hold of an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Another member of the group, a former paramedic, helped activate the defibrillator, and they worked on defibrillating Senator Melson for more than 30 minutes until paramedics arrived.

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As lawmakers reconvened for the 2024 session, Alabama senators congratulated Melson on his recovery and return to legislative duties, and he expressed his sincere gratitude to Ohr for his swift action.

Nearly a year later, Alabama Fire College Executive Director Matt Russell said the incident was a good example of how CPR and AED training can help save a life.

“Senator Orr is like most people who have been trained in CPR. He probably thought he'd never need to use it,” Russell said, “but when an emergency occurs, that important training comes in handy. Knowing what to do and how to do it can save a life. In this case, it's clear that Senator Orr's training made a huge difference.”

Russell said Senator Orr's understanding was National CPR and AED Awareness WeekThe week, celebrated annually June 1-7, shines a spotlight on how many lives could be saved if more Americans knew how to use CRP and AEDs.

RELATED: Tim Melson thanks Alabama Senate colleagues for support after heart attack

State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) also accompanied the tour and stressed the importance of receiving CPR and AED training, according to the Alabama Fire College.

“Senator Ohr instinctively knew what to do and never hesitated,” State Senator Chesteen said. “If it hadn't been for Senator Ohr's CPR attempts before the defibrillator arrived, the outcome may have been different.”

“Senator Tim Melson's Act” It will begin in the 2024-2025 school year. The bill, which aims to help schools prepare for cardiac emergencies, was approved by the Alabama State Medical Association and signed into law by Governor Ivey.

The mission of the Alabama Fire College is to promote excellence in education, training, certification and support services for the emergency response community.

Grayson Everett is the state and politics editor for Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on Twitter. Grayson