State senator Arthur Orr honored for life-saving efforts

DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — Two Alabama state senators are forever bonded after experiencing a life-threatening emergency during an overseas visit last July. Now, one is being recognized for his heroic actions.

Monday, State Senator Tim Melson of Florence told News 19, “I feel great, you know, compared to where I was in August to today, it’s like night and day.”

Melson suffered a cardiac event last July while on an education and economic development trip to Korea and Vietnam. He experienced a cardiac event while touring the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

“It was an interesting situation, in a foreign country having the event I did, and nobody panicked,” Melson said.

Thankfully, his colleague, Alabama State Senator Arthur Orr of Decatur sprung into action.

“You act on instinct,” Orr said. “I knew if something didn’t happen or somebody didn’t do something quickly, we knew the outcome.”

Orr performed CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) until local paramedics could arrive. Ultimately, Orr and the paramedic’s actions saved Sen. Melson’s life.

In an interview with News 19 on Monday, Orr remained humble about his role in the situation.

“Like I said, I believe it was divine providence, or the hand of God in what finally happened,” Orr said. “I played a small part in it, the Korean doctors were excellent in their care and treatment.”

“So a lot of people were used, in my opinion, by God, to bring Tim Melson back to where he is today,” Sen. Orr said. “So I was glad to be part of that process in this, what is a happy outcome” Orr added.

Monday, Orr was honored by the Alabama Fire College in a ceremony at Decatur Fire & Rescue Station 5 for his heroic efforts.

The ceremony fell during “National CPR & AED Awareness Week”. Matt Russell, Executive Director of the Alabama Fire College, said Melson & Orr’s story is the perfect example of why knowing the basics of CPR can make a huge difference.

“It shows that all of us should and could do that, and it also shows that even though they were in Korea, CPR was still available,” Russell said. “They used that and it made a significant impact in people’s lives” he added.

The situation has also led to new legislation. The “Senator Tim Melson Act” was passed during the most recent legislative session. It goes into effect starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

The act will expand CPR and AED training in Alabama public schools. Sen. Arthur Orr sponsored the bill and said the whole situation has had a big impact on him.

“I was glad to be part of that process, in what is a happy outcome,” Orr said.

Melson said he’s forever grateful to his fellow state senator. “I really think the world of him [Orr].”

Cardiac Solutions, a Birmingham-based medical device company donated two AEDs during Monday’s ceremony. The AEDs will be placed in schools that fall within Sen. Orr and Sen. Melson’s districts.

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