In a behind-the-scenes emergency at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, two trained responders faced a critical moment that tested their skills and composure. It began like any other day, with routine tasks and familiar interactions, but changed in an instant when someone collapsed near the staff entrance.
Aquarium employees Angel Britton and Tanner Hughes took swift action. Their coordinated response, rooted in years of training and preparation, underscores a vital truth: In an emergency, teamwork can make all the difference. This incident not only tested their abilities but also highlighted the powerful impact of teamwork, readiness, and decisive action.
Britton and Hughes brought different professional backgrounds to the scene, but both were prepared to respond when it mattered. Britton is the lead first responder and a senior security officer at the aquarium and has worked in emergency response for more than 25 years. She is certified in first aid through several training agencies and has witnessed a range of conditions, from heat exhaustion to diabetic episodes, in her day-to-day role. Always seeking to stay current in her training, Britton had just completed the DAN Diving First Aid course the week before this incident. It added to her extensive training and served as a timely refresher on emergency procedures.
Hughes is one of the aquarium’s assistant dive safety officers, the volunteer diver coordinator, a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) open-water scuba instructor, and a DAN instructor, which was critical for this incident. While most of his focus is on dive safety, his first aid skills are just as applicable on land. Their combined experience and training prepared them well for this emergency.
On the afternoon of the incident, Britton heard a radio call about the individual who had collapsed. She was close to the location and quickly made her way to the scene to find a person collapsed on the ground with several heavy boxes on top of them. She promptly removed the boxes, assessed the individual, and determined they were unresponsive and not breathing. Drawing on her years of training and experience as a first responder, she immediately began CPR and instructed a nearby bystander to call 911 and retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Meanwhile, Hughes was walking down a nearby hallway when he heard someone counting out a rhythm that he immediately recognized as the chest compression rate. His first thought was that he wasn’t aware of a drill that day. He quickly realized it was not a drill and dashed toward the sound. He arrived to find Britton performing CPR. He too called out for gloves and an AED and started assisting. The two rescuers quickly settled into a rhythm, alternating roles and working together to provide high-quality CPR.
When someone brought an AED to the scene, Britton and Hughes immediately attempted to use it and discovered it was not functioning properly. While this could have been a moment of discouragement or confusion, the responders remained focused on delivering CPR until emergency medical services (EMS) arrived more than nine minutes after Britton had first begun compressions.
Once EMS was on the scene, the handoff was swift and seamless. The EMS personnel relieved Britton from compressions, inserted an airway stent, and asked Hughes to continue ventilations with a bag valve mask while they set up a Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) device to provide mechanical compressions. The person was transported from the aquarium with a pulse but was not yet breathing independently. Thanks to Britton and Hughes’ rapid response and continued care, the individual later recovered in the hospital.
The intensity of the rescue didn’t end when the ambulance doors closed. Responding to an emergency like this has a profound impact on rescuers. What Britton and Hughes thought would be a normal day at work turned into an adrenaline-filled, mentally and physically exhausting experience. Thankfully, both responders had strong support systems in place, including aquarium staff, friends, and each other, which allowed them to process their emotions and the entire incident.
Reflecting on what happened, both remained humble about their roles but acknowledged how everything aligned just right that day. Timing, location, training, and readiness created a rare and fortunate set of circumstances for this incident.
The individual collapsed in an area where someone quickly noticed them, and trained responders were able to intervene swiftly. If the incident had occurred 30 minutes earlier or later, Britton would have been on the other side of the aquarium, and Hughes would have been underwater with his dive volunteers. Their recent training, prompt intervention, decisive actions, and teamwork undoubtedly contributed to this incident’s positive outcome.
Britton and Hughes have been recognized with the DAN Provider Award for their exceptional application of first aid skills during this incident. The award highlights not only the individuals involved but also the value of current training and preparation. Both responders emphasized the importance of first aid certification and how practice and confidence are vital to remaining calm and effective in high-pressure situations.
Incidents such as this one are reminders that emergencies rarely give warning and that it is the training, mindset, and teamwork of individuals like Britton and Hughes that can turn an emergency into a recovery. First aid, CPR, scene management, AED use, and all the other skills learned in the Diving First Aid course are not abstract skills but rather lifesaving tools that, when practiced, can change the course of someone’s life.
Britton and Hughes’ story is more than a good outcome. Their response is a powerful testament to the importance of preparation and composure and a reminder that behind every successful rescue is someone who chooses to be ready.
© Alert Diver – Q4 2025