Elmhurst Fire Department wins award

ELMHURST – Elmhurst Hospital has awarded its 2017 Emergency Medical Services Run of the Year award to members of the Elmhurst Fire Department.

Paramedics Danielle Fernandez and Sarah Hand and firefighters Patrick Evoy, Lt. Jeff Hayes, Gary Klecka and Tim Lisowski were recognized for their care of an 80-year-old man who fell while at church and was unresponsive in May, according to an Elmhurst Hospital news release. The man fell at First Congregational Church of Elmhurst, according to Deputy Fire Chief Bill Anaszewicz.

When the crew arrived, bystanders were performing CPR, which Hand continued, according to the release. Fernandez delivered a shock from an AED after which the patient was breathing and had a pulse, the release stated. The paramedics provided additional treatment in the ambulance while on the way to Elmhurst Hospital Emergency Department, the release stated. The patient was admitted to Elmhurst Hospital and released a few days later, according to the release.

The Run of the Year recipients were honored at Elmhurst Hospital’s fifth annual Emergency Medical Services Recognition Dinner on Oct. 26 at Pinstripes in Oak Brook.

Other area emergency medical services personnel and police officers were honored at the event, which caps off the yearlong Run of the Month program in which area first responders are recognized for exceptional care with a breakfast at their station.

Elmhurst Hospital has been honoring area emergency medical services providers with Run of the Month since 2012, according to the release.

Teams are selected based on excellent communication from the field, excellent work in gathering information, clear and thorough documentation, superior clinical assessment skills, heroic behavior in the field, and superior partnership and teamwork with Elmhurst Hospital, the release stated.

For information about emergency care at Elmhurst Hospital, visit www.EEHealth.org/services/emergency.