Pamela Anderson (center) at the Sept. 17 Lincoln Park City Council meeting, with her lifesaving rescuers: Caleb Armstrong (left) of Florence, Wis.; Drew Sorenson of Southgate; Firefighter Sam Norton; Sgt. Jayson Milley; and Lt. Bob Wright.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – The lifesaving efforts of six men on behalf of Pamela Campbell of Detroit, who went into cardiac arrest July 16, were recognized at the Sept. 17 City Council meeting.
Fire Chief Steve Martin recognized civilian bystanders Drew Sorenson of Southgate and Caleb Anderson of Florence, Wis., as well as Fire Department personnel Sgt. Jayson Milley, Firefighter Sam Norton, Sgt. Branden Perry and Lt. Bob Wright.
Martin said that at 5:30 p.m. July 16, the Fire Department was dispatched to the area of Fort Street and Cicotte on the report of an unresponsive person. He said cardiopulmonary resuscitation — an emergency procedure that combines chest compressions with artificial ventilation to manually preserve brain function on a person in cardiac arrest — was performed by Armstrong, who was working in the area as a summer intern, and Sorenson.
“Sorenson and Armstrong continued to assist with the resuscitation efforts until Engine 41 arrived to relieve them,” Martin said. “The patient was defibrillated multiple times, and eventually regained a pulse and was attempting to breath on her own.”
Martin said members of the LPFD rescue crew accompanied the transporting agency to the hospital and continued to care for Campbell until she was transferred to hospital personnel with her vital signs intact.
Martin said the care that Armstrong and Sorenson provided for Campbell was exceptional.
“It proved the statistic that early and effective CPR is paramount to the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest,” Martin said.
Campbell was present to thank and help honor her rescuers.
Martin said the actions of Milley, Norton, Perry and Wright prolonged Campbell’s life and demonstrated outstanding patient care and reflected their professionalism and dedication to serving residents.
“Drew Sorenson and Caleb Armstrong, without regard for themselves, took heroic actions to help a person in a life-threatening emergency, demonstrating honor and integrity and good will that should make every citizen proud that such people patronize the city of Lincoln Park.”
The Lincoln Park Civilian Citation Award was presented to Sorenson and Armstrong, and Milley, Norton, Perry and Wright were presented with the Lincoln Park Fire Department Lifesaving Award.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected].)