Great Barrington Firehouse Sets CPR Open House After One of Its Own Is Saved| 11:40AM / Monday, December 28, 2015 | |
 Chris Nelson, Ed McCormick and Marc Palumbo posing with the Great Barrington Fire Department.
Photo courtesy of Lee Rogers |
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Ed McCormick, a Great Barrington firefighter for more than 50 years, has helped many people in emergency situations during his service to the town.
At this past Thanksgiving's annual Turkey Trot Race at Bard College at Simon's Rock, some of his brother firefighters returned the favor by aiding him in his time of need.
McCormick, 68, had been walking and talking with Great Barrington Fire Captain Marc Palumbo and firefighter Chris Nelson on the race course and had just moved ahead of them when they saw him fall over. They knew it was serious by the way McCormick had fallen, and it turned out he was in cardiac arrest.
Palumbo and Nelson immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to stabilize him, with help from a nurse on the scene. The Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad and personnel with the Great Barrington Police Department responded and managed to restart McCormick's heart with a defibrillator and intravenous drugs.
"It was ironic that one of the first people to come to my aid, Marc Palumbo, was a guy I had convinced to join the Fire Department 12 years ago. You know who your friends are when you're in need, and when I needed it most, I was fortunate to have an incredible array of friends and colleagues on hand. They literally saved my life," McCormick said. "I can't thank the first responders, the Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad, the Great Barrington Police and Fire Departments, and Fairview Hospital enough for their professionalism, swift actions and wonderful care."
As a special thank you to the first responders and to the community, the McCormick family is sponsoring a special CPR training in partnership with the Great Barrington Fire Department and Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance. This free event will be held at the Great Barrington Firehouse on Saturday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. While it's not a full certification class, attendees will learn many of the basics that could help save a life in the event of an emergency.
Fire Chief Charles Burger noted the importance of bystanders knowing and being able to start CPR.
"In Ed's case, there were trained firefighters present, but I cannot emphasize the importance of having willing bystanders trained in CPR ready to start resuscitation immediately in these emergency situations," he said.
Chief Burger noted that quickly administering CPR is essential to provide a stricken individual with the best possibility of a full recovery.
Burger urges all citizens to get CPR training. For additional CPR training options, area residents can contact Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance or Fairview Hospital.
McCormick is returning to health and looks forward to getting back to his law office and continuing to serve his community.
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