First Aid Corps

A 57-year-old grandfather watching his granddaughter play in a high school basketball game collapsed in the stands Tuesday night, and authorities are crediting the skillful, quick use of an AED in reviving him.

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Richmond-Burton High School athletic trainer Julianne Stewart administered a shock to the Poplar Grove man with an automated external defibrillator – one of four the school has on premises. He had suffered a heart attack and collapsed face forward about 7:15 p.m., just before half time, school and emergency officials said.

“Julianne Stewart had the wherewithal to get the AED and … she delivered a shock to revive the gentleman,” Richmond Township Fire Protection District Chief Rick Gallas said. “By the time we got there, he was breathing and starting to talk.”

A Richmond emergency crew took the man, whose name was not released, to Centegra Hospital – McHenry.

Gallas also credited Belvidere Police Department Deputy Chief Dave Ernst, a father who was in the stands for his daughter’s basketball game, for performing CPR on the man before Stewart came over with the defibrillator.

“Dave determined that [the man] was not breathing; he was turning purple, and did CPR on him,” he said.

Richmond-Burton Principal Tom DuBois said the incident was a bit frightening, but that everyone involved responded appropriately and everyone was happy about the positive outcome.

“His son and daughter-in-law just stopped by to thank us,” DuBois said Wednesday morning. “They were on their way to the hospital to go see him. … He appears to be doing OK.”

Gallas said the quick response should greatly benefit the man’s recovery.

“It just goes to show the value of CPR and the use of an AED in the field,” said Gallas, who added that the fire department will present both Ernst and Stewart with a life safety award.

Sgt. Joe Allen was at the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse on December 7. After hearing someone yell “Call 911!” he found an unresponsive man on the floor. Never missing a beat, Sgt. Allen used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on the man, and performed CPR.

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Sgt. Allen was at the courthouse for a jury trial. But when a man fell to the ground near the Palm Street entrance of the building, Allen’s plans took a detour.

“I was the first person to attend to him. I went over, checked his pulse. He was still breathing, shallow but breathing. It felt like he still had a pulse so I didn’t try any emergency menouvers aside from telling someone to go get an AED.” said Sgt. Allen.

It was a life saving decision on the part of Sgt. Allen. And for the man whose life was saved, he is truly lucky it was Allen on scene. Sgt. Allen is responsible for establishing Atascadero Police Department’s AED program in 2010. He is charge of getting every officer on streeet, trained on the device.

“I’m very happy that I was in the right place at the right time.” Sgt. Allen said modestly.

Both Sgt. Allen, and Anthony, the security guard that ran to grab the AED, are humble about the heroic actions.

“Its not a matter that I was part of it, it’s a matter that everyone around me did a great job. Keeping him alive.” said Anthony.

Anthony and Sgt. Allen hope this close call, serves as a reminder to other people, the importance of AEDs.

“They’re very easy to use, user friendly. You don’t need specified training in order to use a device.” said Allen.

“Just go for it. Do your best to save the person’s life.” said Anthony.

Three police officers in South Beloit are being honored for going above and beyond their call of duty.

Officers Stephanie Ruzka, Daniel Zintec, and James Sanders were on duty at the Fly and Jay Truck Stop when Benjamin Patrick collapsed waiting in the check out line.

The three officers performed CPR and used a defibrillator to revive Patrick.

Although the three officers are humbled to be honored, they say they were just doing their jobs.

Patrick is alive and well and will be undergoing heart testing and possibly surgery.

Two officers with the Newton Falls police department are credited with using their Automated External Defibrillator to revive an unresponsive and non-breathing 59 year old man Saturday morning.

According to a press release issued by the department, Detective Andy Harvey and Officer Tony Vella responded to a call on Warren Ave. shortly after 6 a.m. and deployed the AED on the man.

Following the instructions of the AED, the two men “shocked” the patient and began CPR. By the time the ambulance arrived a few minutes later, the patient was conscious and breathing.

The Newton Falls Joint Rescue Squad transported the patient to the hospital. His condition is not known at this time.

Call it a twist of fate.

Victor Giesbrecht, 61, of Winnipeg, stopped his pickup along an interstate highway in western Wisconsin to help two stranded women change a flat tire. Minutes later, his life was in their hands.

Sara Berg, of Eau Claire, Wis., and her cousin, Lisa Meier, were headed home Saturday night on Interstate 94 when they “heard an awful noise.” They were somewhere between Menomonie and Eau Claire when they pulled to the side of the road with a flat tire — something neither knew how to fix. Meier’s husband was on his way to help when Giesbrecht, who was driving by with his wife, Ann, showed up and asked whether they needed help.

“We were so grateful,” Berg said. “Nowadays, nobody ever really stops to offer their help. It’s kind of scary sometimes, because you really don’t know what you’re getting into.”

Giesbrecht is the type who always wants to stop to help a stranded motorist, his wife said. “He’s the type of person who gives you 100 percent and worries about himself later,” she said.

When Giesbrecht finished, Berg thanked him and they shook hands. Berg recalled Giesbrecht’s farewell words to her: “Someone up above put me in the right place at the right time.’”

And then they parted. Giesbrecht and his wife pulled back onto the interstate. Seconds later, Berg followed.

Less than a quarter mile down the road, Berg noticed Giesbrecht’s red truck pulled over. She passed it and then pulled over herself, figuring the couple may have forgotten something.

No sooner had she gotten out of her car when she saw Giesbrecht’s wife waving frantically at passing motorists.

When she saw Berg, she called out: “I think he’s having a heart attack.”

Berg, a certified nursing assistant trained in CPR, jumped into the truck. Giesbrecht had no pulse and wasn’t breathing. Berg began chest compressions. Meier called 911.

Emergency personnel arrived in about five minutes, “but it always feels like forever at a time like that,” Berg said.

Wisconsin state trooper Kate Sampson arrived first, and gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Berg continued the chest compressions. When two Dunn County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they helped move Giesbrecht out of the truck and to the shoulder, using the vehicle as a buffer from passing traffic. Sampson, along with Meier’s husband, who had just arrived, and the deputy resumed CPR while the second deputy used an automated external defibrillator to deliver shocks to his heart.

“It was a nice twist of fate,” said Fernandes, who is treating Giesbrecht at the Eau Claire hospital. “We know for sure that the CPR the woman did increased his chances for survival.”

Berg pointed out that it was a team effort by several people.

The last few days have been a bit emotional for her and her cousin.

“We both have felt kind of guilty that having helped us caused his health issue,” Berg said. “But people keep telling us that maybe it put us in the right place at the right time when he was going to need help.”

Ann Giesbrecht, who was also part of her husband’s good luck when she guided their vehicle to the shoulder during his heart attack, is grateful. According to a statement issued by Mayo Clinic Health System, she talked to Berg on Sunday and told her, “You actually saved his life.”