Winnetka Recognizes First Responders For Saving Man In Kenilworth

WINNETKA, IL — When a North Shore native in town for school reunion collapsed during a basketball game in September, rescuers from several communities teamed up to provide life-saving care. Last week, village officials in Winnetka recognized the first responders who helped save the man's life.

The 64-year-old New Jersey man had returned to the North Shore for the 50th reunion of his class at Joseph Sears School, according to Winnetka Deputy Fire Chief John Ripka.

On the morning of Sept. 15, he went into cardiac arrest while shooting hoops with friends in Kenilworth. One of his friends began CPR immediately while another called 911, Ripka said at the Nov. 5 village council meeting.

The man's rescue was coordinated by first responders ranging from a dispatcher in Glenview, police from Winnetka and Kenilworth, ambulance crews from the Wilmette and Winnetka fire departments and hospital staff at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was hospitalized for 12 days and underwent surgery to implant an pacemaker, according to Ripka.

"This call is a perfect example of where everything came together to save the man's life," he said.

A dispatcher stayed on the phone and provided instructions until police arrived, took over CPR and hooked up an automated external defibrillator, which delivered a shock, Ripka said. Two ambulances soon arrived and paramedics were able to monitor the patient's condition, provide fluids and keep the man stable on his way to the hospital.

"Anytime we get a call of cardiac arrest, we sent two ambulances, or engine and the shift commander," Ripka explained. "For comparison in the ER for a cardiac arrest there is a team of about 12 to 15 people working on the patient so our regular EMS response of five to six people would not be adequate for the advanced life support care necessary to give the patient the best possibility of a positive outcome."

Sara Van Dusseldorp, EMS system coordinator for AMITA Health at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, said the response was precisely what emergency personnel strive for every day.

"We train all of our providers and it's almost like the stars aligned," Van Dusseldorp said. "This was a perfect example of how things should work, starting with the dispatcher giving direction to bystanders, and bystander CPR and how important that is. The police officers who arrived on scene and used their AED, up to the paramedics who then were able to continue on with advanced care, and then all the way to the hospital. And it made a difference in peoples' lives."

Village President Chris Rintz praised the first responders.

"Thank you, guys, great job," Rintz said. "We should be buying beers after this, right?"