THOMASTON — It’s a rare occurrence in EMS when CPR is successful to the point where the patient is still alive, breathing, and up walking around eight months later. So, to hear that not one, but two, separate Thomaston residents within a year are alive today because of the interventions of their small-town emergency system, a roomful of officials stand and applaud.

Multiple Thomaston EMS, Fire, and Police providers, as well as a dispatcher at Waldo Communications Center were recognized Monday, July 8, 2024, at the Thomaston Select Board meeting, for their roles in restarting a heartbeat last September and getting that person to the hospital. Sometime in the future, certificates will be issued for the second success story, which has not been officially added to the State’s log since it happened just a few days ago.

The recognition is part of an initiative gaining momentum within Maine EMS to document every need for CPR (defined as pulseless and not breathing) and the few survival stories that crop up.

Because Thomaston interim EMS Chief J.T. O’Hare was unable to contact the family of the September patient, he couldn’t provide details for Monday’s recognition ceremony. Yet, one thing is undeniable. On the days of the two incidents, the stars were aligned for those patients.

“[The September success] pretty much happened because there was staff at the fire station,” said interim Fire Chief Jamie Leo, in a Town workshop prior to the Board meeting. “Any time delay at all, and it probably would have been a different outcome.”

After one minute of cardiac arrest, chances of survival drop significantly, and continue to drop rapidly after that, and each of the Thomaston incidents required high quality CPR with defibrillation.

This Fourth of July, Police officers happened to be on or near Main Street, keeping stride with festival logistics. Fire and EMS crews happened to be at the station, preparing for the parade, when a 911 call announced a pulseless person in a house in a nearby neighborhood.

“It was all because we were all there for the Fourth,” said Leo. “If that had been at night….[it would have been a different outcome]” said Leo. “It’s still up in the air as to what happens (for them), but things are a lot more positive for that person than it would have been if we weren’t here.”

Recognized for the September 2023 call are:

J.T. O’Hare, Interim EMS Chief; Deputy Fire Chief (Now Interim Fire Chief) Jamie Leo; Police Chief (Now Retired) Tim Hoppe; EMT Alan Leo; EMT Kaytie Maynard; Paramedic Dennis Camber; EMT Jacky Porter; Police Officer Mark Tibbetts, and Waldo Dispatcher Arryn Lubin.

Recognized for the July 4, 2024 call are:

J.T. O’Hare, Interim EMS Chief; Deputy Fire Chief (Now Interim Fire Chief) Jamie Leo; Police Chief (Now Retired) Tim Hoppe; EMT Kaytie Maynard; Paramedic Ryan Morton; AEMT Trinity Dearborn; Assistant Fire Chief Bobby Coombs; and Police Officer Jarrod Leonardi.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com