devin cody direct examination

**1) Please state your name and age for the court.** 

Hello, my name is Devin Cody. I am 53 years old.

**2) What qualifications and training do you have?**

Before Storm Chase, I was a lifeguard and lifeguard instructor for California's Baywatch program. Also, I am a trained EMT and certified rescue diver.

**3) What brought you to Storm Chase?**

I retired from the California Baywatch Program at 50, then started to look for a new job. I love obstacle courses, so I offered my services to Chris. The rest is history.

**4) How long have you been employed at Storm Chase?**

About 2 years. __(entered as an expert)__

5) **As the on-site Director of Competitor Safety, you are aware of the safety protocols of Storm Chase, correct?**

Yes.

**6) With this knowledge, can you tell the court what precautions Storm Chase took to prepare for the obstacle course in Penn’s Peak, Pennsylvania?** 

Yes. For starters, Storm Chase sent representatives to the local hospitals, the local fire departments, the sheriff's department, and EMT services to alert them of our event and warn them of a possible increase in injuries. In addition, we put medical tents in common areas of the course, prepared to serve possible injuries from multiple obstacles at a time. Furthermore, Storm Chase stationed lifeguards and certified water personnel at water obstacles greater than 4 feet. Finally, we staffed each obstacle with at least one event supervisor.

**7) How does Storm Chase financially handle safety matters?**

As a company, Storm Chase spends thousands of dollars each year on safety training. The company also spends more than $4 million on external event safety costs.

**8) How does Storm Chase handle it if participants feel unable to handle particular events?**

Storm Chase allows the participants to opt-out of certain obstacles. The only punishment is a small-time penalty.

**9)** **How are you involved with the incident that happened on October 23, 2021?**

I was the lifeguard who pulled Alejandro out of the water.

**10)** **How did you arrive at the “Abandon Ship” obstacle?**

Around 10:30 or 11:00, I received a call from the Medical Comms to go to the “Abandon Ship” obstacle.

**11) What did you notice when you got there?**

I immediately noticed there was a large number of people on the obstacle. I had to assist the event supervisor because they struggled to remove the crowd. I left and returned around 11:30. Everything seemed in control by then.

**12) Your witness statement says you took your shift at noon. Tell me about that.**

A little bit into my shift, things started to get crazy. Many participants began to ignore their monitors and jumped into the water despite it not being their designated time.  I watched as Alejandro leaped into the water. After a while, I noticed that he had not surfaced for some time.

**13)** **What action did you take after that?**

I evacuated the pool and radioed the monitor to stop other participants from jumping off the ledge. I got into the water to look for Alejandro 2-3 minutes after he jumped in. It took three dives, but I eventually pulled him out. He was unconscious when I took him out of the water, so I began to perform CPR. Dr. Rogers and I later had to use the automatic external defibrillator three times to initiate a heartbeat. Alejandro was alive when transported to the ER. __(enter exhibit 4 into evidence)__

**14) What was your expectation of the participants in this race?**

I expected them to respect this pledge that all of the participants are required to sign. That includes no “angry or aggressive” behavior.

**15)** **Based on the pledge, do you believe Alejandro lived up to these expectations?**

No. I saw Alejandro elbowing, pushing, and shoving other participants on the “Abandon Ship” obstacle.

**16) Did (not an expert)/ Do you believe (expert) Storm Chase LLC did everything possible to make the event safe?** 

Yes. Storm Chase does everything in their power to make our obstacles as safe and fun as possible for all participants. Our team put all our efforts into saving Alejandro’s life. My medical crew and I swiftly acted according to protocol. __(no further questions.)__