Taste of Life Savers

Paramedics rescucitate woman having heart attack

Updated 1:18 PM CST, Tue, Jul 28, 2009

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Scott Stewart/Sun-Times

The Taste of Chicago turned into Taste of Heroics for an Arizona woman who had a heart attack at the city's signature summer event Thursday.

Two bike-riding paramedics in the right place at the right time used a defibrillator to resuscitate the woman in her 50s, according to Fire Meida Affairs Cmdr. Will Knight.

A good samaritan had seen the woman collapse while walking to the Taste near Balbo and Columbus. She began CPR and called 911 for help. That's when paramedics Mike Guerin and Elvis Falbo showed up on their bikes -- with a defibrillator in hand, Knight said.

"As soon as we shocked her, we got a pulse back," Michael Guerin told the Sun-Times. "I've been a paramedic for 15 years and this is the first time I've debibrillated someone and had them wake up and start talking."

 Knight said the woman was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in stable condition.

"Nothing can be more rewarding that saving somebody's life," Falbo told the Sun-Times. "I'm just glad we were there."

 
 

First Published: Jul 3, 2009 8:15 AM CST

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