Winona Health, Winona Area Ambulance and the Southeast Minnesota Regional EMS Office in Rochester honored more than a dozen emergency responders and the wife of a cardiac arrest patient for their life-saving efforts.
In late February, Pam Phillips performed CPR on her husband Rick at home through instructions from an emergency dispatcher before advanced medical care arrived.
“I’m glad to be alive,” said Rick while helping present awards to the people who helped save him. “I want to thank my wife, thank the people involved. I appreciate it!”
“It was great to see the department coming together,” said Mike Allred, firefighter/paramedic at the Winona Fire Department who received a life-saving award. “It was great to see him walking around, shaking hands.”
A positive outcome happened due to early recognition that something was “not right,” an immediate call to 911, and the skilled actions of many caregivers who worked as a team.
Ten emergency response individuals received awards from the late-February incident including Winona County Dispatcher Mark Cigrand, Gundersen Medical Communications Specialist–Telephone CPR Brittany Tenneson; Winona Police Officers Erik Eichstadt and Nicholas Erickson; Winona Fire Department paramedics Mike Allred, Derrick Ritter, Tim Carlson; Winona Area Ambulance EMT Zack Evans and paramedics John Blankenship and Andy Teska.
Winona Area Ambulance paramedics Jordan Freybler, Carter Kauffmann, and Kahla Jorgensen also received life-saver awards for a separate cardiac arrest response in early March.
Hands–Only CPR & AED Training Wednesday, June 10: Community members are welcome to attend free Hands–Only CPR & AED Training on Wednesday, June 10 from 6-7 p.m. at Winona Health, BA. Miller Auditorium, hospital 3rd floor, 855 Mankato Avenue, Winona, Minn. Registration is required.
Emergency response individuals receive awards.
Winona Area Ambulance paramedics Jordan Freybler, Kahla Jorgensen, and Carter Kauffmann also received life-saver awards.