CPR Saves Citizen

Left: PFIA Representative Richard Thomas presents Richard Johnston
with a Meritorious Service Award from the Association.

Just after midnight on August 27, 2009, off-duty officer Richard Johnston was flagged down by a citizen to assist an unresponsive man lying in the bushes of a residence in St. Petersburg, Florida. The victim cyanotic and had no pulse. Officer Johnston obtained an A.E.D. from his cruiser and began CPR. The chest compressions produced shallow breathing. By the time EMTs arrived, the subject had a pulse, regained awareness and was able to speak. Johnston’s quick response was critical to the man’s ultimate survival and he was also the recipient of his department’s Life Saving Award.

A Thanksgiving for which to Be Thankful

On the morning of November 21 an Atlantic City, New Jersey fire fighter just happened to be on the Garden State Parkway in the vicinity of a horrific wreck. A car ahead had lost control and flipped at least twice, impacting several trees. The driver was ejected, then pinned under her own vehicle. As off-duty Captain Doug Owen assessed the scene, he was joined by a Cherry Hills firefighter/EMT who was on his way home. Owens and Scott Chambers could tell that the victim was on the brink of death and the only way to save her was to lift the car.

Fortunately, a soldier with rescue experience, and another strong man also stopped to help. Owen positioned himself to move the woman while the other three lifted the 1,500 pound Sunbird. She was not breathing and had a thready pulse, but suddenly gasped as the car was lifted from her chest. Owen and Chambers did their best to stabilize her until EMS arrived. Miraculously the victim survived due to the courage and tenacity exhibited by the four men on scene that morning.

Defibrillator Saves Neighbor

Right: Representative Richard Thomas presents Jennifer Lich with her
Meritorious Service Award on behalf of the Association.

While at home, off-duty St. Petersburg officer Jennifer Lich heard a cry for help from her neighbor’s yard on March 31, 2010. She quickly retrieved her A.E.D. and used it on the apparent heart attack victim. She then administered CPR until EMTs arrived. The man regained consciousness at the hospital and subsequently recovered. Lich has now received two Life Saving Awards from her department.

Terrified Teen

In St. Paul, Minnesota an off-duty firefighter helped neighbors rescue a frantic teen from her burning home on May 25. The 17-year-old said she smelled smoke, and when she opened her bedroom door to investigate, saw that she could not escape down the stairs as the hallway was obscured by smoke. Her father had opened a window onto the porch roof and made it to safety, but the teen refused to jump.

FF Vernon Cobb happened to be in the area visiting his mother and helped assemble some neighbors to catch her. Finally, one neighbor arrived with a ladder, and Cobb was able to coax her down.
An overloaded extension cord apparently caused the fire. The resulting damage left the house completely uninhabitable.