Tewksbury firefighters, police and a dispatcher from the Northern Middlesex Regional Emergency Communications Center stand together after saving a life. From left are Firefighters Blake Hery, Justin Hubbard, and Kyle Maga, Fire Lt. Marc Bourdon, Officer Ryan Sheehan and NMRECC Dispatcher Rebecca Maccaro. (Courtesy Tewksbury Police and Fire)
TEWKSBURY — Police Chief Ryan Columbus, Fire Chief Joseph Kearns and Director Kevin Lessard of the Northern Middlesex Regional Emergency Communications Center (NMRECC) are pleased to report that their agencies worked together to save the life of a Tewksbury resident.
On Monday, Dec. 23, at approximately 2:55 p.m., the NMRECC received a 911 call reporting that a 64-year-old man at a home in Tewksbury was unresponsive and not breathing.
While emergency crews were being dispatched, NMRECC Dispatcher Rebecca Maccaro provided the 911 caller — the patient’s daughter — with Emergency Medical Dispatch instructions over the telephone.
A short time later, Officer Ryan Sheehan arrived at the home, found the daughter performing CPR, and took over efforts to provide CPR.
Off-duty Firefighter/EMT Blake Hery was in the area, saw Officer Sheehan running into the home, and stopped to assist as well. Firefighter/EMT Hery cleared the area around Officer Sheehan and the patient, and then took over CPR from Officer Sheehan.
The crew of Tewksbury Fire’s Engine 3 — Lt. Marc Bourdon and Firefighters Jake Brothers and Kyle Maga — arrived at the scene a short time later, took over CPR and provided a shock from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) carried on the fire engine.
As Lowell General Hospital Paramedics and a Tewksbury ambulance staffed by Firefighters Justin Hubbard and Paul Mugford arrived on scene to take over care, the patient regained a pulse and began breathing. The patient was then transported to Lowell General Hospital.
The family of the patient has since contacted the agencies involved to report that the patient is in good health and recovering well.
“I’m grateful for the lifesaving efforts of Officer Ryan Sheehan, the Tewksbury Fire Department, and the Dispatchers who all worked together to save this mans life,” said Chief Columbus. “It gives me great comfort in knowing that our emergency response system is comprised of highly trained and proficient individuals.”
“This incident shows the effective and professional emergency response system Tewksbury has in place,” said Chief Kearns. “Studies have shown that early recognition and initiation of CPR can be very effective until an AED arrives on scene, and this incident proves that good, effective CPR works. The other key component of survivability is related to the engine company administrating a shock from the AED. This unit resets the heart’s electrical system and in this case a heart rhythm that allowed for spontaneous circulation.”
“I am extremely proud of the Firefighters that assisted in saving this man’s life,” added Chief Kearns. “Without the actions of all involved, the incident may have resulted in a poor outcome and the loss of a family’s loved one.”
“Northern Middlesex Regional Emergency Communications Center Dispatchers acted decisively and followed their training, ensuring the chain of survival began with the detection of a serious and life threatening medical condition of the patient and beginning CPR instructions over the phone,” said Director Lessard. “Our staff worked in cohesion with our colleagues in the field and the efforts of the team cannot be overstated, it was a job very well done by all.”
