Algonquin Police Officer Recognized for Saving Lives

In two very unrelated events in recent months, one officer is credited with saving the lives of two area residents. 

Officer Kori Koehler was presented a lifesaving award at the meeting Tuesday night for his role in saving the life of a man whose heart had stopped while at an area gym, and for assisting an area girl who had stopped breathing. 

The first event happened in September at Lifetime Fitness in Algonquin.

Koehler was called to the gym regarding a man who had stopped breathing after he had been exercising on a treadmill, said Algonquin Police Chief Russell Laine during Tuesday's Village Board meeting.

The man's heart had stopped. Koehler used chest compressions to assist the man and then helped in gathering information and keeping the man's friends and family calm as paramedics assisted the man, Laine said. 

The man survived and later learned he had an undetected heart defect. He since has undergone heart surgery and is recovering, Laine said. 

The second incident came two months later when Koehler was at his home. 

A neighbor came to his front door carrying her 6-year-old daughter who had stopped breathing, Laine said. 

Koehler gave the child chest compressions and some blows to the back, which seemed to clear her airway, and cleared fluid from her mouth, Laine said. 

"Corey was able to under this very stressful situation to respond and save the life of this child," Laine said.