Man Saved After Suddenly Collapsing During Basketball Game by Fire Chief and Lifeguard
Orland Fire Battalion Chief Nick Cinquepalmi and 17-year-old Jake Pechukas worked together to help a 32-year-old man who had a heart attack on a basketball court Sunday.
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Swift teamwork between an Orland Fire Protection District battalion chief and an Orland Park Sportsplex staff member helped save the life of a 32-year-old Orland Hills man who had a heart attack Sunday.
Orland Fire Battalion Chief Nick Cinquepalmi stopped by the Sportsplex around 4:30 p.m. Sunday to watch his son play basketball with the Orland Youth Association, according to a release from the fire district. Around then, two men quickly approached Cinquepalmi, who was in uniform and on call at the time, asking for his help, Cinquepalmi said.
“I was expecting a broken ankle, but this young man was clearly going into cardiac arrest,” Cinquepalmi said. “He was down on the ground, unconscious.”
With an ambulance on the way, Cinquepalmi began CPR on the man, and 17-year-old Jake Pechukas, a staff member at the Sportsplex and lifeguard at Centennial Pool, approached to help. While Cinquepalmi had an Automated External Defibrillator unit in his car, Pechukas told him that one was available inside the complex and he retrieved it, Cinquepalmi said.
“He helped set up the AED while I gave compressions,” Cinquepalmi said. “I gave him one shock from the AED, continued with compressions and after about a minute he regained consciousness, and asked where he was. Having that AED inside the complex saved his life, no doubt.”
Orland Fire Battalion Chief Raymond Kay introduced a new community program built around increasing CPR instruction, and adding to the number of accessible AED units around the community, at the Jan. 18 Orland Fire Protection District board meeting.
Orland Fire Chief Ken Brucki said in the release that the Sportsplex incident demonstrates the need for accessible AEDs.
“Incidents involving cardiac issues can be unpredictable and the faster you can provide assistance the better the chances of survival,” Brucki said in the release.
The man, who had no medical history of heart issues, is now recovering from the heart attack. He lost teeth when he fell and hit the ground, according to the district.
Cinquepalmi praised both Pechukas’ speed and his communication throughout the effort.
“Jake worked extremely fast,” Cinquepalmi said about Pechukas. “But he also showed discipline from training. The lifeguards are taught to call out what they are doing and what’s happening, and he put that into practice. He did a great job putting together the AED while I did what I needed to do.”
Cinquepalmi encouraged people to become trained in CPR and AED use in case of an incident, and urged people not to be afraid of assisting someone in a similar situation.
“It could be your son or daughter,” Cinquepalmi said. “As far as I’m concerned, don’t be afraid to step up. You won’t do more damage than has been done.”
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Orland Fire Protection District Firehouse One and Administration Center
9788 W 151st St, Orland Park, IL -
Orland Park Sportsplex
11351 W 159th St, Orland Park, IL
Mimi Citarella
6:28 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Great job, Nick and Jake. You were in the right place at the right time. Thank God you both were there.
Mimi Citarella, Director of Leasing
Ninety7Fifty on the Park
John Fotopoulos
6:37 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Outstanding work!!! Jake and Nick you're both Heros!!!
Denise A. Lenz
8:40 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Awesome Job!! Jake and Nick!!
Lynne Donegan
9:38 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Jake and Nick, You two demonstrated the foundation of what we preach, and that is: Don't be afraid to help someone in distress...you could save their life!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
The Family of the Colleen O'Sullivan Law
Daniel McMillan
1:15 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Great job Nick and Jake. This shows the lesson of always being prepared for the worst and having the proper equipment available at all times. Another job well done by our Orland Fire Department under the leadership of Captain Brucki. Keep up the great work.
voklst
10:56 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
boy this man was lucky uou guys were
in the house....my husband had a heart
attack last yr. He's 47. It was 100% blood clot 'widow maker' He lived thru it all &
conscious. He waited over 8 hours before we went to the ER. Problem was he's under
medical care...for Cervical Spine....we thought a disk burst in his neck due to where the pain was radiating from.
Thank God Here in Orland, Homer Glen and the new Silver Cross hospital we were just
a phone call away from help.
If we had funds we would certainly buy those
voklst
10:58 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
AED units. They are necessary & needed!
Lorraine Panozzo
12:53 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Yet another reason to feel safe in our community. Thank God for well trained people in our life.
Jack Inhoff
12:29 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Great Save Chief &Nick !
Why do these stories have ages that sound...young?
Kevin Wesselhoff
12:50 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I am so proud of my nephew Jake Pechukas who always does the right thing no matter what kind of pressure. Folks, Jake is the most stand up kid you would love to know. He always puts negative peer pressure aside as a teen ager and chooses to be in the top ten in his class while always helping out everyone he meets. This is a true definition of a hero in these trying times of senseless violence and drugs.
freddie
7:53 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Congrats Jake & Nick. Wondering if Jake is related to a Steve Pechukas I knew when going to IIT back in the 70's?
Marion Pechukas
7:36 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Yes, Jake is Steve's nephew and I am Jake's Grandma! So proud of my Grandson!
Jeneen Kateeb
8:54 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Marion,
I am the sister of the man who collapsed and our family would like to personally thank your grandson for helping to save my brothers life. We are very grateful that he was there and did everything he could to help. Without his quick action my brother would not have made it. We're trying to reach him at his workplace to thank him. Thank you so much to you and your family.
Marion Pechukas
10:14 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Jensen:
I left an e-mail message for him. I am so happy that he was there for your brother.
My best wishes to your family.
Dawn Pechukas
10:46 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Hi Janeen,
I am Jake's mom. I will find out when he works again and let you know. I know he would like to meet your family as well. Jake is a great kid who was at the right place at the right time, but he was able to put his knowledge into immediate action, not panic and think on his feet. Glad he was there for your brother...
Dawn Pechukas
Jeneen Kateeb
11:01 pm on Thursday, February 14, 2013
Yes.... We would love the opportunity to meet and thank him. Fortunately, he made it through that situation and he underwent open heart surgery today. He had a double bypass and just came out of surgery late this evening. Maybe we can communicate through e-mail and exchange numbers.
Ben Feldheim
12:13 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Jeneen, thanks a lot for sharing this. We'll be pulling for him.
Dawn Pechukas
6:00 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Wow...so glad he made it through the surgery! So young to have endured so much... Hopefully, he is on the road to recovery now. Thank you for the update as we (especially Jake) were wondering how he was doing. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Lynn Lionhood
2:15 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
I am so proud to see two great young men, Nick and Jake step up like a well oiled team and save yet another young man. You are both my heroes as well. Only hope when I am in need that both of you are near.
Patch Reader
11:51 pm on Sunday, February 17, 2013
What an amazing story. That young boy will do very well in life.