A Neighbor's Cry For Help

A Garden City family knew exactly where to turn for help when one of their own was having a heart attack on the front lawn of their home Sunday evening.

Living just across the street from the Clinton Road firehouse, two women frantically banged on Station 3's doors knowing someone would answer.

Firefighters immediately notified Fire Headquarters to send Garden City police and a Nassau County ambulance to the location. A 53-year-old male was in full cardiac arrest when Fire Lieutenant Rob Noonan and Firefighters Peter Thorp and Donald Marra arrived on scene.

A younger gentleman was administering CPR to the patient.

Lt. Noonan assumed the CPR compressions while Firefighter Thorp, an EMT, attached the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) pads. Once connected, he shocked the patient twice and was able to get him breathing again.

"The sooner you get an AED in place, the person's chances of living exponentially increases, the survivability increases tremendously by getting that quick shock," Lt. Noonan said. "I think the fact that we were able to get there a couple of minutes ahead of time, get the AED started, with Firefighter Thorp being an EMT, it aided the situation tremendously."

Lt. Noonan added that Garden City police and a Nassau County ambulance arrived within two minutes of the fire department. The incident occurred between 7-8 p.m. Sunday.

Police Inspector Kenneth Jackson confirmed officers did respond and assist firefighters on scene.

"The male was in cardiac arrest, not breathing and had no vital signs. Firefighter Thorp administered the AED twice. The victim began to breathe and have a heartbeat," Inspector Jackson said. "The victim was transported to Winthrop Hospital by Nassau County ambulance where he was attended to by a county EMT and a Garden City police officer."

As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, the patient remained in critical condition in Winthrop's Intensive Care Unit, according to Inspector Jackson.

After much debate amongst village trustees during budget talks earlier this year about possibly closing Station 3 completely or between 5:30 p.m. and 7 a.m., Fire Captain Harry G. Frank said Sunday's incident is an important example of why he believes keeping Garden City's outlying firehouses open and manned 24 hours a day is critical. 

The Garden City Fire Department is one of only two on Long Island that has a combined force of both career and volunteer firefighters serving village residents from three firehouses, Fire Headquarters located at the west end of village hall on Stewart Avenue, Station 2 located at at Edgemere Road and Stewart Avenue and Station 3 located at St. James North at Clinton Road, all of which are manned by career firefighters 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

"I'm trying to educate the board as far as how important it is to have them there," he said. "They knocked on the door and got an immediate response."

He emphasized that every second counts, whether responding to a fire alarm or a rescue call. "Even if 30 seconds had gone by and they got him back what impact would oxygen deficiency have done to his brain at that point? It's critical," he said.

Every career firefighter in Headquarters Company is required to undergo CPR/first responder training, including ongoing refresher courses. All fire department engines, command vehicles and rescue trucks are equipped with defibrillators.

"We do good things. It's not only putting out fires," he said.