Orland Fire Protection District presents lifesaving commendations

Good samaritans and Lifetime Fitness employees among those recognized by Orland Fire District Tuesday

OFPD Fire Chief Mike Schofield and the Board of Trustees set aside time at the beginning of the August 22nd Board of Trustee’s meeting to receive the following awards:

Firefighter Doug DePersia brought up his team and presented Fire Chief Schofield with the 1st Place trophy the OFPD team took home from the recent Fire Up a Cure event they participated in. This very worthwhile event raises funds to help families coping with pediatric cancer. Our guys said they couldn’t have done it without their “honorary captains” Jack Winkler and Izabella Marin, and they presented them both with a trophy to thank them for being great captains and cheering them on.

Next, Arthur Miller presented Chief Schofield and EMS Administrator Lieutenant Mark Duke with the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Silver Award for four years running, for implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.

Orland Fire District paramedics can identify patients with STEMI’s utilizing cardiac monitors that can transmit your 12 Lead ECG to the hospital so the appropriate care may be assembled prior to your arrival.

Presentation of OFPD 1st Place Trophy from FIRE UP A CURE 2017 6th Annual event to help fund pediatric cancer research and help area families affected by pediatric cancer.

In addition to the Board and Chief Schofield receiving awards at last night’s Board of Trustee’s meeting, Fire Chief Mike Schofield and EMS Administrator Lieutenant Mark Duke presented the following citizen lifesaving awards and unit commendations to sworn personnel:

On May 13, 2017 a vehicle overturned on a district road and several witnesses stopped and were critical in preventing the vehicle from falling over more into a ditch and causing injuries to the passengers inside the vehicle. The Fire District was able to identify two of the numerous Good Samaritans who stopped to help the injured driver and prevent further injury.

They are citizen Robert Schelfelbein and Posen Firefighter Mark Krizik. Both were presented the Firefighter Joseph McNamara Award of Valor for helping to prevent further injury.

“Schelfelbein and Krizik risked their lives to save a person they never met,” Schofield said.

Citizen Robert Schelfelbein displays the certificates he received from OFPD Fire Chief Mike Schofield.

“We never found out the names of all the people who helped, but we did find out two. The Firefighter Joseph McNamara Award of Valor was awarded to Schelfelbein who came upon the accident and didn’t hesitate to help; and to Posen Firefighter Krizik who made his way in this car to treat the injured victim until fire and rescue units could arrive (not present). This Award of Merit is given for actions taken in an emergency where the award recipient had no obligation to perform life-saving actions and that directly saved a life.”

Unit Commendations were presented to several Firefighters who helped save the life of Richard Rubas on May 29, 2017. Rubas and his wife Barbara attended the board meeting to thank the firefighters and to help present the Commendations with Chief Schofield.

Richard Rubas (2nd from right) and his wife Barbara join members of the Orland Fire Protection District who helped save his life after a cardiac arrest incident.

“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I mean that with special emphasis, for saving my life,” Rubas said.

The Unit Commendations were presented to Battalion Chief N. Cinquepalmi, Lieutenant W. Leddin, Engineer S. Kovats, Firefighter M. Reichert, Lieutenant G. Bohne (not present), Engineer R. Ricobene (not present), Firefighter J. Ruchniewicz, Firefighter E. Zielinski (not present), Firefighter J. Kendra (not present)

In another cardiac arrest incident on July 6, 2017, employees of Lifetime Fitness came to the aide of a 53 year old member who was experiencing heart pains.

Chief Schofield and Lieutenant Duke presented the Battalion Chief William Bonnar, Sr. Citizen Life Saving Award to Lifetime Fitness employees Jason Fox, Jen Strickland and Jaqueline Otto, along with a Lifetime patron who is a doctor, administered CPR, called 9-1-1. The employees applied an AED and defibrillated the patient the patient Ray Morrissey, helping to keep him alive until OFPD Emergency responders arrived to continue medical treatment.

(From left) Chief Schofield, cardiac victim Raymond Morrissey, Lisa Morrissey, Lifetime Employees Jason Fox and Jen Strickland, and Lt. Mark Duke.

“Their quick actions resulted in a successful resuscitation of Mr. Morrissey,” Chief Schofield said.

“Paramedics continued care and delivered the resuscitated patient to the ER with stable vital signs. This Life Saving Award is given for actions that directly saved a life.”

Morrissey attended the board meeting with his wife Lisa to personally thank the Lifetime Fitness employees for keeping him alive until paramedics could arrive and takeover.

“I am here today because of the fast action of the Lifetime employees and the professional care of the Orland Fire Protection District. I am very grateful that I am hear to express my thanks,” Morrissey told the fire district.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist, author and former Chicago City Hall reporter (1976-1992).

He is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club Lisagor Awards, the 2009 Sigma Delta Chi Award for journalism, and was named Best Ethnic American Columnist by the New America Media in 2007.

His personal web page is The Daily Hookah at www.TheDailyHookah.com (and www.RayHanania.com).

Hanania writes a weekly syndicated column for the Arab News in Saudi Arabia and is the managing editor of the American Arab online news website, www.TheArabDailyNews.com.

His mainstream columns are published in Chicago's Southwest Side and Suburbs in The Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, the Southwest News-Herald and the Des Plaines Valley News.

Hanania is the managing editor of Suburban Chicagoland Online News website www.SuburbanChicagoland.com.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com