Chris Butters: JMU’s sweetheart.
Spartan alum Butters has become a local hero at his university but that could never be guessed through any conversation with him.
The first week of his college career at James Madison was much like that of every other college freshman: filled with fun events, orientations, and, of course, parties.
In high school Butters became a trained EMT through an FCPS program, and it is that training that has allowed him to excel in what he does.
Now he works with the local fire department just outside Harrisonburg, the Hose company 4 volunteer fire department, but before that Butters experienced a break between EMT and department work, wherein the only medical tools he had with him were a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.
During frog week at JMU, students’ first week on campus, Butters had his first college run-in with an emergency situation. Late one night, he and his friends came upon a girl passed out in a men’s restroom.
“I ran back to my room, got a BP cuff and a stethoscope, just to make sure she was OK,” said Butters.
The floor’s RA called 911 while Butters and his friends tried to care for her, which was doubly complicated by the fact that as it was so early in the school year, no one on the floor knew her name and she had no ID. Living in Eagle Hall, the largest dorm on campus, the situation only worsened when the group realized they didn’t even know what floor she came from.
“[We] tried to get her to talk but she couldn’t talk,” said Butters. “We’re really lucky we found her because we weren’t sure what state she was in.”
Butters’ previous EMT training helped him to remain calm throughout the ordeal, and get as much information about the girl as he could so that he could pass it on to the authorities. Harrisonburg’s Rescue Squad and the police arrived to take charge of the situation, and later the girl left a note thanking the students on the floor for their help.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say we saved her life, but if we hadn’t been there…she could’ve passed out or gotten in a worse state,” said Butters.
Similar situations continue to happen at JMU and college campuses across the nation on where students don’t know the dangers that can come with so much more personal freedom than they were previously accustomed to. Responsibility is key when it comes to life after high school.
“It happens all too often,” said Butters, “people don’t know how to play safe, party smart.”