First Aid Corps

Two volunteers working on the Ida May Project acted quickly and applied CPR to another volunteer and kept him alive until a police officer arrived on the scene with a defibrillator and shocked his heart back into action. When the man fainted to the floor, John Dupre of Centre Island and Bill Shepard of Huntington went to work giving him CPR to keep him breathing: John doing compressions and Bill giving mouth to mouth resuscitation.

John Dupre, who learned CPR in health class at St. Dominic’s, looked for the pulse and immediately started the critical chest compressions. It was the first time he used the skill. “I was glad Bill Shephard and Herb Shierhorst were there to help. It was nerve-wracking. But then Sgt. Clark showed up with the defibrillator and was there to help me. He showed up pretty quickly,” said John.

Sgt. Michael Clark of the Old Brookville Police Department had heard the call on his police car radio and quickly responded to J Building on West End Avenue to help.

The Oyster Bay Fire Company No. 1 arrived at the scene and took the man to Syosset Hospital.

Clint Smith, president of the Oyster Sloop Christeen Preservation Corporation and The Ida May Project said, “He is an artist. He comes in when he can. He was helping with the painting. He was in the other day and is looking good. He had three stents put in.

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.

View First Aid Corps World Map of AED Locations in a larger map

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.