(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
SALEM LAKES, Wis. — Salem Lakes Fire Chief Al Carr led a recognition ceremony Tuesday night honoring a Salem Lakes Fire & Rescue crew whose actions on September 19 helped save the life of a man pulled from a crashed vehicle in a ravine. The victim lost his pulse twice before being revived and ultimately discharged from the hospital neurologically intact.
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Carr described the incident as a high-risk, fast-moving emergency after a vehicle left the roadway and plunged into a ditch. He praised the firefighters and paramedics for their teamwork and determination, saying their actions reflected “excellence meeting opportunity.”
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The firefighters and paramedics present at tonight’s meeting and recognized for their work on the call were:
- FF/Paramedic Jason Caira
- FF/Paramedic Ashley Miller
- FF/EMT Eduardo Cruz
- Assistant Chief Mike Keske
- FF/EMT James Kirby
- Division Chief Jill Torres
The only member not present was:
- FF/Paramedic Allison Pierce
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Carr explained that the crew climbed into a ravine, manually removed the pulseless, non-breathing victim from the vehicle, and immediately began advanced interventions. The patient was revived twice before being transported. “You honored the badge and the mission,” Carr told them during the ceremony.
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Representatives from Froedtert South also attended the meeting: EMS Coordinator Dave Piccolo, Medical Director Dr. Brian Piechowski, and EMS Liaison Don Howland. Piechowski noted that out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival sits around 10 percent nationwide, with neurologically intact survival even rarer — making this patient’s full recovery remarkable.
Piccolo, who has trained Salem Lakes crews for a decade, said he was proud to see their skills used so effectively under extreme conditions. Board members closed the ceremony by thanking the team for their professionalism and calling them examples of the standards the department strives for every day.
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(Cell Phone Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
12 Responses
I really think Al Carr is the true example of what the Village to striving for. What youtube showed me tonight with the Kenosha County Fair is exactly why this Village is failing. New Leadership is a must. Bucur is clueless, blame staff for mass confusion, these people are an embarrassment. Thank you Trustee Poli, only one real freedom fighter on this board. Hopkins thinks he is a gotcha master, too bad he met his match with Poli, Hopkins hates the fair, they should ban him from the grounds.
Dear Anonymous- You are a balloon knot. The article was about the tremendous actions taken by a group of fire fighters and paramedics. I am certain the family of the accident victims could not care less about the county fair or for that matter anything else in Salem Lakes. Thank you paramedics. Thank you fire fighters. Thank you Chief Carr.
All of you deserve the recognition.
I don’t know what you were watching but I’m glad Trustee Hopkins was asking the tough questions and pushing back. The Fair doesn’t just get to undercut and circumvent the rules because they are the fair. You have the Sheriffs Department with concerns about policing the event and that many people but because the Fair asks for it that means they should just get it? Thank you Hopkins for actually looking out for the whole village and not just Polis buddies.
I think the story needs to ignore other issues and honor the Fire Dept. We all should be thankful for an excellent crew. Thank you Chief Carr and your crew.
And what the heck does that have to do with this story?
Heroes and angels, every single one of them!
Well deserved recognition! Congratulations to the man
whose life was saved twice, you were surrounded by
Salem’s best!
Yes, well done, Chief Carr is really showing us all, what matters. Congrats to those FF, very well deserve recognition. Thank You
They are heroes, every one of them, thank you for saving this man
True Heros! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.
Well done, team SLFR!
I didn’t know that the cardiac arrest outside hospital survival rate was only 10%, and that some of the survivors have neuro problems that continue after that. That makes it even more amazing that the team was able to pull the victim back twice. Tough job with so much at stake every day, thanks to them for the fine service. Great to see good news happens too.
Thanks for doing your job