RedCrossPhillyBlog

Category: Lifesaving Awards

  • Guardians of the water: How quick thinking, training and teamwork saved a life

    By Alana Mauger

    Lifelong swimmer Tom Koellhoffer was eager to return to the water when he arrived at River Crossing YMCA’s Quakertown Branch on March 11, 2025. His daughter gifted him a Y membership so he could resume swimming after recovering from a heart attack.

    He checked in at the front desk, changed into his suit and spoke with on-duty lifeguard Jodie Hart about his exercise plan.

    Tom doesn’t remember any of it. He woke up a few days later in a hospital intensive care unit to learn he had suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

    “I don’t remember coming here. I don’t remember changing into my suit. I don’t remember a thing about that day,” he said during a return visit to the Y eight months later.

    It’s a day Jodie and fellow lifeguards Kai Butcher and Ruth Clement will never forget.

    Pictured at a Lifesaving Awards Presentation at River Crossing YMCA’s Quakertown Branch on Nov. 5 are (from left): Lynn Cohen, Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter executive director; Tom Koellhoffer; YMCA lifeguards Jodie Hart and Kai Butcher; and Becky Musselman, senior aquatics director, YMCA Doylestown branch. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross.

    Ordinary Afternoon, Extraordinary Heroes

    It was a typical afternoon at the Quakertown YMCA. Jodie was scanning the water as she walked the pool’s perimeter.  Kai was on a lifeguard rotation in the Y’s health and wellness area. Ruth was off duty, but in the pool nevertheless, helping a friend train for a high school state swimming competition.

    From across the pool, Jodie noticed Tom resting along the shallow end pool wall and knew something was wrong.

    “He looked blue,” she recalled.

    She activated the Y’s emergency action plan, alerting staff, and rushed toward Tom.

    Ruth saw the situation unfold from the pool’s deep end as she warmed up with a kickboard.

    “Something that really has stuck with me about it is that I don’t usually kick with a kickboard because I have had shoulder issues,” she said.

    That choice mattered. Because her head was above water, she spotted the emergency right away.

    “I saw it happen. Because if my head had been in the water, I probably wouldn’t have known anything was wrong for marginally longer.”

    She grabbed a rescue board and swam to Tom. With the help of her nearby swim coach, Ruth and Jodie maneuvered him onto the pool deck.

    Ruth did an initial assessment. When she couldn’t find a pulse, Jodie began chest compressions.

    By then, YMCA staff had called 9-1-1 and brought an AED and oxygen to the scene. When Kai arrived, he took over chest compressions so Jodie could give breaths. As they performed CPR, the AED advised a shock.

    “It’s just like you see on TV; the body actually jolts,” Jodie said.

    After each shock, the AED analyzed Tom’s vitals.

    “His heartbeat was in and out,” Kai explained. “It would stabilize for a little bit, then go out again.”

    Jodie and Kai completed two rounds of CPR and administered three shocks before EMTs arrived about 20 minutes later.

    Looking back, Kai remembers “a lot of reacting” during his response to the emergency.  “It’s so drilled in. There’s no time to think. You just do it.”

    Jodie recalled her emotions as EMT’s carted Tom out.

    “In the moment, you don’t have time to cry; you just have to keep going. And then when he left, I cried for a really long time.”

    Lifeguard Ruth Clement was 16 and a high school senior when she helped save Tom’s life. She’s currently a freshman Biochemistry major at Rochester Institute of Technology and was away at school when the Lifesaving Awards were presented on Nov. 5. Submitted photo.

    Trained for the Moments That Matter

    Tom knows he’s lucky. The survival rate for cardiac arrests outside of a hospital is less than10%. Those who live without any loss of brain function are even fewer. But immediate CPR can double or even triple someone’s chance of survival.

    During a speech at the YMCA’s Impact Gala in October, Tom credited the quick actions of Kai, Ruth and Jodie.

    “They administered CPR immediately and effectively and kept my brain oxygenated for approximately 20 minutes,” he said. “These three wonderful young people proceeded to keep me alive until EMT arrival.”

    Mastering these skills is part of becoming an American Red Cross-certified lifeguard. Candidates must complete more than 25 hours of instruction, demonstrate aquatic competency, pass a written exam and perform three skill assessments, including a multiple rescuer response scenario like the one that saved Tom.

    Lifeguards are recertified every two years. Jodie and Kai trained together and were recertified just a few weeks before Tom’s cardiac arrest. Becky Musselman, senior aquatics director at the Y’s Doylestown branch, was their instructor. She also oversaw Ruth’s certification in October 2023.

    The group received Red Cross Lifesaving Awards for their heroic efforts. Kai, Ruth and Jodie earned  Lifesaving Awards for Professional Responders, given to first responders who save or sustain a life outside of a medical setting. Becky received a Lifesaving Instructor Award for training the three lifeguards.

    “Just knowing and seeing this aftermath is awesome – the knowledge that what I do matters,” she said.

    After hugs all around, Tom helped Lynn Cohen, Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter executive director, present their certificates during a joyful reunion with YMCA staff.

    Tom Koellhoffer presents an American Red Cross Lifesaving Award to Jodie Hart while Lynn Cohen, Becky Musselman and Kai Butcher look on. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    Behind the Whistle

    Ruth describes becoming a lifeguard as “a rite of passage” for kids like her who grew up swimming.  

    “It’s like, you turn 15, and all of these skills of swimming and maintaining yourself in the water are already endowed in you for years,” she said. “It was almost a given to me that I would become a lifeguard and work at the Y.”

    She got recertified this past August before leaving for Rochester Institute of Technology, where she’s a freshman biochemistry major. She volunteers in surgical services at St. Luke’s when she’s home and plans to attend medical school.

    Ruth was 16 and a high school senior when Tom lost consciousness. She said the experience confirmed her path.

    “Being able to be part of such a story of success and recovery has definitely spurred me forward,” she said.

    Like Ruth, Kai also grew up in the water. When his younger sister became a lifeguard, she dragged him along.

    “She said, ‘we’re taking the test,’ and I said, ‘okay.’ They wore me down,” he joked, prompting Becky to laugh, “We really did.”

    He works at the Y full-time while taking classes at Bucks County Community College.

    “I love it here,” he said after the presentation.

    “I do too,” Jodie chimed in.

    “Aww, I love that they love it here,” Becky added.

    While Jodie also grew up swimming, her path to lifeguarding was different.

    “I did hair for 20 years, and then after COVID, I just needed a break,” she said. “I was in a salon, then, by myself, but I like working with other people.”

    Building on her swimming skills, she became a swim instructor with a shallow-water lifeguard certification. Inevitably, she “crossed over from shallow to deep water” and got certified.

    Jodie and Kai started working at the Y around the same time – about two and a half years ago.

    “We have a really good team, and I think it’s important to have good communications and get along with each other,” she said.

    Lifeguards Kai Butcher and Jodie Hart pose with Tom Tom Koellhoffer. They performed CPR on Tom for 20 minutes before EMTs arrived. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    A Red Cross Connection

    Tom’s ties to the Red Cross go back decades – long before he met Jodie, Ruth and Kai.

    “I was a beneficiary of the American Red Cross learn to swim program, and it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life,” he shared. “I started off as a beginner swimmer, and I went all the way through advanced swimming and junior lifesaving.”

    He even worked as water safety aid for the Red Cross and taught swimming lessons. This lifelong passion for swimming is what brought him to the Quakertown Y earlier this year.

    “Before COVID, I was doing 12,000 meters every week in the pool,” he said. “I want to work my way back up to some level.”

    Tom isn’t back in the water yet, but he says he’ll be swimming “any day now.”

    Until then, he’ll stay dry and greet his new friends from the pool deck.

    Nominate a Lifesaving Hero

    If you or someone you know has used skills and knowledge learned in a Red Cross Training Services course to help save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org to nominate them.

  • Red Cross, Montgomery Township recognize Justin Tohanczyn for his lifesaving action

    By Alana Mauger

    The Board of Supervisors and Fire Department of Montgomery Township joined the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region to celebrate the lifesaving efforts of Justin Tohanczyn on March 24th in North Wales.

    Delaware Valley Chapter Executive Director Lynn Cohen presented Justin with a Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action – an award given to individuals and teams who step up in an emergency and help save or sustain a life.

    “You may know Justin as a first responder who serves the community as an EMT and volunteer battalion chief with the fire department. But tonight, he’s being recognized for the actions he took as a citizen when he helped save a man’s life on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship,” Cohen said to the Township Board of Supervisors and those in attendance last Monday night.

    Justin Tohanczyn with his wife Casey. Photo by Konrad Jones / American Red Cross

    Shortly after leaving the Cape Canaveral cruise terminal on Dec. 12, 2023, a fellow passenger went into cardiac arrest in the hallway just a few cabins away from where Justin and his wife Casey were staying.

    Hearing the medical call, Justin went into the hallway where Pete, a cruise ship entertainer, was performing CPR on an unresponsive 58-year-old man. Justin helped with CPR, cleared the man’s airway and gathered medical history.

    After the ship’s medical team arrived, Justin continued to help by applying an AED and providing oxygen. A shock was delivered from the AED, and responders began to notice improvements in the man’s vitals.

    A few hours after the man was transported to the ship’s medical center, Justin and Pete stopped by to find him sitting up and talking with his family. The doctor introduced them and explained their lifesaving actions. The man was later flown to a hospital in Miami where he had surgery and received a pacemaker.

    “Justin, you exemplify the mission of the American Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies, and it’s my honor to commend you for your willingness to help someone in distress by presenting you with this Red Cross Lifesaving Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action,” said Cohen.

    Justin’s wife Casey nominated him for the Red Cross Lifesaving Award. When Montgomery Township Fire Chief Bill Wiegman learned about Justin’s action, he drafted a resolution that was voted on and presented at the Board of Supervisors meeting alongside the Red Cross. Many of the Township’s first responders were on hand to recognize Justin for his lifesaving action.

    Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter Executive Director Lynn Cohen (center, in red) presents Justin Tohanczyn (center, to the left of Lynn), EMT and volunteer fire department battalion chief, with a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action. They’re surrounded by Montgomery Township Fire Department first responders. Photo by Konrad Jones / American Red Cross

    Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program

    The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action is given to individuals or teams who step up in an emergency and help save or sustain a life. It is one of four awards given as part of the Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program. To nominate and recognize a person or group who has taken action to save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org.

  • Red Cross recognizes lifeguard Neil Johnson for saving a child’s life

    By Alana Mauger

    Red Cross Northeast Division Vice President Kobe Langley presented Neil Johnson with a Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders in Philadelphia on Dec. 18, 2024. Photo by Katerina Luchinina / American Red Cross

    Seventeen-year-old Neil Johnson was working as a lifeguard for a little over a month when he tapped into his American Red Cross training to save a child’s life.

    It happened on July 9, 2024. A 12-year-old boy slipped underwater in the deep end of a pool at St. Regis Apartments in Philadelphia. The child began to swallow water as he sank to the bottom.

    As the lifeguard on duty, Neil sprang into action. Still wearing his glasses and Crocs, he jumped into the pool to rescue the child. Neil pulled him out and provided CPR with chest compressions and breaths before turning the child onto his side. Soon, the boy coughed up water and began to breathe.

    EMTs transported the child to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where he spent the night.

    Neil says he doesn’t remember much after he saw the boy go underwater. His training took over and he performed the rescue. The significance of his actions didn’t hit him until later, and he’s reluctant to tout his own accomplishments.

    His mom Eileen Johnson and school advisor Toni Vahlsing have no such issue. They nominated Neil for an American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders.

    “I couldn’t be prouder of him,” Eileen said.

    On the day of the incident, Eileen was working nearby when she got the call about an emergency at the pool. She rushed to the apartment complex and learned about her son’s heroic efforts.

    “Neil makes a perfect lifeguard. He’s a rule follower,” she said. “He’s not messing around on his phone. He keeps his eyes on the pool the entire time.”

    Toni, who has been Neil’s advisor at Abington Friends School for the past four years, beamed with pride at the award presentation. “It’s so special. I’m just so proud, so happy for him,” she said.

    Northeast Division Vice President Kobe Langley presented Neil with his certificate and pin on Dec. 18th at the Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region headquarters in Philadelphia.

    “Neil, thanks to your quick action and training, the child survived and has fully recovered,” he said. “It’s my honor to present you with this Red Cross Lifesaving Award for First Responders.”

    Lifesaving Awards program

    The Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders is awarded to Red Cross-trained first responders and healthcare professionals acting while on duty. It is one of four awards given as part of the Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program. To nominate and recognize a person or group who has taken action to save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org.

  • Red Cross honors PA State Police Trooper John Finkbiner for saving toddler’s life

    By Jenny Farley

    State Trooper John Finkbiner is shown outside the police vehicle he was driving when he saved baby Carter McLaughlin’s life. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    The American Red Cross honored Pennsylvania State Police Trooper John Finkbiner with the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders at a ceremony on October 17, 2024.

    Trooper Finkbiner saved a one-year-old baby named Carter from choking when he responded to a call on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Upper Dublin Township on May 25th.

    “I got a call that it was a baby not breathing,” Trooper Finkbiner said.

    Trooper Finkbiner is a certified Pennsylvania State Police American Red Cross instructor in First Aid, CPR and AED. He teaches the very skills that helped him save Carter.

    Lynn Cohen, the executive director for the American Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter, presented Trooper Finkbiner with the award at the State Police Station in King of Prussia, in front of Carter and his grateful parents and grandparents.

    “I’m so honored to get to do the Lifesaving Awards because it means so much. It shows that our training in action works in saving lives,” Lynn said.

    Malorie McLaughlin is holding her son Carter next to her husband John McLaughlin. Trooper John Finkbiner is shown with the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders, presented to him by Lynn Cohen, the Executive Director for the American Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter. Photo by Jenny Farley

    Carter is the youngest of John and Malorie McLaughlin’s four sons. In May, Malorie was driving with her two oldest children when Carter started choking on a goldfish cracker in his car seat. Her five-year-old son Graham alerted her that something was wrong.

    “I was driving. He was facing backwards. I couldn’t see him. There was an emergency turnoff. I pulled over and got him out,” Malorie said through tears.

    “By the time I got to him he wasn’t breathing.” Malorie called 911 on speaker phone and started back thrusts and CPR, fighting to save her baby.

    “There were a couple of times he had gasped, but he was not responding,” she said.

    Trooper Finkbiner said when the call came over the radio he was nearby and got there quickly. He relied on his Red Cross and police training to do what came next.

    “I had to do a quick assessment based on what I saw from him. He was blue lipped. He was pale. He was ashen. My immediate thought was ‘this isn’t good,’ but I was there. I had to do a job. And I just started everything.”

    Trooper Finkbiner worked to clear Carter’s mouth and airway and when he turned him over to get ready for the next step, he said Carter “took a big gulp of air. And I went, ‘that’s what I wanted!’ Then he let out a big scream and I was like, ‘yeah! Keep screaming for me kiddo.’ Then his color started coming back.”

    Trooper John Finkbiner shakes the hand of Red Cross instructor Charles Mory, a retired State Police Sergeant who taught him as a cadet and nominated him for the Red Cross Lifesaving Award. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    Retired State Police Sergeant Charles Mory nominated Trooper Finkbiner for the Lifesaving Award. Sergeant Mory is a Red Cross instructor who taught Trooper Finkbiner lifesaving skills as a cadet.

    “The honor rests with John Finkbiner in turning these skills into a lifesaving effort. He can handle anything there is in the field,” he said.

    When Carter’s mom Malorie was asked what Trooper Finkbiner meant to her family she said, “Everything. He came and showed up. I owe everything to him.”

    State Police Trooper John Finkbiner holds pictures drawn by the McLaughlin sons, thanking him for saving their little brother from choking. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    Trooper Finkbiner acknowledged being a State Police Trooper can be dangerous and stressful. You don’t always get a happy ending.

    He remembers staring at his badge after graduating from the police academy, preparing to protect and serve and thinking, “This is a big deal.” Along with his police service, getting married to his wife of 32 years, having his three children, and serving for 23 years in the U.S. Marine Corps where he deployed to Baghdad in 2003, Trooper Finkbiner counts saving Carter as one of the top five moments of his life.

    “We got the job done.” He looked over at Carter in his mom’s arms. “Long life ahead. That’s what I’m happy about.”

    In January, he will retire from the Pennsylvania State Police after 23 years.

    “It’s like the icing on the cake,” he said. “This tops it for me. I wouldn’t want to end it any other way,” he said.

  • Red Cross-trained lifeguards use skills to save a life at Springfield YMCA

    By Jenny Farley

    The Red Cross honored Springfield YMCA lifeguards on Oct. 3, 2024 for helping save the life of Jim McBride. Pictured (from left): Gabe DiEmidio, Peter McMonagle and Carlotta Myers. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    After swimming laps at the YMCA pool in Springfield, Jim McBride headed to the hot tub, submerging himself up to his chest. Jim and his wife Donna described what happened next on that December day in 2022 as divine intervention, right place, right time and a YMCA staff who had the Red Cross training to save Jim’s life.

    “If it had happened anywhere else, I would have been gone by the time the ambulance came,” Jim said.

    At the exact moment Gabe DiEmidio and Peter McMonagle were arriving for their shifts as new lifeguards, Jim’s head was about to sink beneath the water.

    Peter said, “I took off my jacket real quick and then pulled him out of the hot tub, and he was like completely dead weight.”

    Gabe and Peter were high school sophomores who had received their training only a few weeks before.

    “As I called for help, I started giving him CPR and that’s when Gabe came in,” Peter said.

    A third lifeguard, Carlotta Myers, had just clocked out, but headed to the commotion when she heard there was an emergency.

    “He was unconscious and not breathing so we didn’t actually know at the moment that he had a heart attack. We just knew he needed help,” Carlotta said. Carlotta helped clear Jim’s airway.

    Gabe pressed an emergency button which summoned police and paramedics and then he immediately retrieved the AED, an automated external defibrillator.

    Jim McBride and wife Donna are grateful for the lifesaving measures Gabe, Peter and Carlotta took when he experienced cardiac arrest at the YMCA. Jim is now a lifeguard at the YMCA as well. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    Every employee at the Springfield YMCA is trained by the American Red Cross in first aid, CPR and how to use an AED.

    The Red Cross describes an AED as a “medical device that helps to re-establish an effective heart rhythm in those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.”

    “I strapped him up and it said ‘Shock Advised’ so I pressed shock. As soon as I pressed shock he went, (Gabe demonstrated an intake of breath) and then came right back to life. One shock,” Gabe said.

    “He was in a good place when he had his heart attack,” Carlotta said.

    Lynn Cohen, the executive director for the American Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter, honored Carlotta, Gabe and Peter on October 3rd with the Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders.

    “It’s my favorite part of the job,” she said. “I just want to thank this team so much for your quick thinking and for jumping in.”

    Lynn let Jim hand out the Red Cross award certificates and pins to the people who helped save his life. Jim will never forget what their quick actions meant. “To have that support here. I was really lucky,” he said.

    Jim McBride hands out Red Cross Lifesaving Awards to Carlotta, Gabe and Peter. Photo by Jenny Farley / American Red Cross

    After his heart attack, Jim underwent a five hour emergency surgery – a double bypass. He spent a week in the hospital and a week in rehab six months after he had been newly married.

    “Our first Christmas I wasn’t home, but I was alive, so that was okay,” he said.

    “I believe he was saved for a reason,” his wife Donna said.

    Jim is now on a mission to educate everyone about how to use an AED and how important it is that they are available. He works as a lifeguard at the very YMCA where his life was saved, alongside his rescuers Carlotta, Gabe and Peter.

    “It’s a thrill to be able to come here,” he said.

    Peter said, “He’s our friend now.” Gabe added, “It’s meant to be.”

    Gabe and Peter are now high school seniors who plan to join the Marines after graduation. They won’t ever forget saving Jim.

    “Lifesaving is a good skill to have down the road because you never know when you are going to need it,” Peter said.

    Gabe said, “It feels good to be recognized. Especially for other people to realize how important CPR is and AED.”

    Carlotta said Jim “thanks us at least once a week. He’s very passionate about his job.”

    Jim will forever be grateful. He said, “I’m so thankful every day how lucky I am.”

  • Upper Perkiomen YMCA employees earn Red Cross Lifesaving Awards for their heroic efforts

    By Alana Mauger

    Pictured (from left): Lynn Cohen, executive director, Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter; Lifesaving Award recipients Speilman and Joshua Bennett; Rob Carpenter, executive director Upper Perkiomen YMCA; and Lifesaving Award recipient Caitlyn McKelvy. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    Lifeguards train to respond to emergencies that happen in or around water. Those skills were put into action last February for three certified lifeguards who saved an unresponsive man at the Upper Perkiomen YMCA.

    On Wednesday, the American Red Cross presented YMCA employees Joshua Bennett, Caitlyn McKelvy and Cole Speilman with a Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders for stepping up and using their training.

    Caitlyn, who is an aquatics supervisor and lifeguard instructor at the Y, was off duty and in the women’s locker room when she heard the series of loud whistles that signal an emergency. The lifeguard on duty directed her to the men’s locker room where a 59-year-old man was unconscious. She assessed the gentleman and found he wasn’t breathing and had no pulse.

    Joshua Bennett, the Y’s aquatics director, was at the front desk when he received the incident report. Having also heard the alert whistles, Cole Speilman, senior program director, arrived at the front desk and the two ran down the hallway to the men’s locker room with an automated external defibrillator (AED) in tow.

    Joshua began chest compressions and administered oxygen, and Cole applied the AED, which advised them to administer a shock. After the shock, the man began breathing, his pulse resumed and he regained consciousness. They stayed with him until EMS arrived.

    Despite Caitlyn, Joshua and Cole being certified lifeguards and lifeguard instructors with more than 22 years of experience between them, this was the first time any of them responded to a live-action incident.

    When asked about her initial reaction to hearing the whistles, Caitlyn – who is also a nursing student at Montgomery County Community College – says she questioned whether she was the best person respond. She quickly realized that, yes, she was, and this is what she trained for.

    Joshua acknowledged that doing chest compressions on a living person is a lot different than doing them on a CPR mannequin, especially the sound of the ribs being compressed, but the training prepared him for the real thing.

    Cole says it felt comfortable to have Caitlyn and Joshua with him during the incident. “We’ve been working together for three years. I felt like we could do this.”

    YMCA Executive Director Rob Carpenter, who nominated the three for the Lifesaving Award commended their quick response. “They slowed everything down and followed the training to the T,” he said. “The training works!”

    After the incident, Caitlyn, Joshua and Cole held an in-service day for YMCA staff, walking through the response and using it as a teaching tool. They also got to eat lunch with the gentleman they saved that day, which was especially meaningful.

    Lifesaving Awards program

    The Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders is awarded to Red Cross-trained first responders and healthcare professionals acting while on duty. It is one of four awards given as part of the Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program. To nominate and recognize a person or group who has taken action to save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org.

  • Red Cross salutes lifesaving actions in Montgomery Township

    By Alana Mauger

    The American Red Cross presented Certificates of Extraordinary Personal Action to 20 Montgomery Township first responders and one citizen for steps they took to save the lives of two residents in November 2023. Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter Executive Director Lynn Cohen was joined by both survivors to present the awards to these real-life heroes on May 13 ahead of the Township’s Board of Supervisors Meeting.

    Cardiac Arrest: Nov. 10, 2023

    Lansdale resident Daniel Jenkins and Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter Executive Director Lynn Cohen (center) stand with Lifesaving Award recipients on May 13, 2024. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    The first incident occurred on the evening of Nov. 10th, when Montgomery Township Emergency Services was dispatched to a home on Hopkins Court for a cardiac arrest. Police Sgt. Lee Wagner and Officers Brian Schreier and Eric Hernandez found the resident – Mr. Daniel Jenkins – unresponsive, turning blue and having trouble breathing. The three officers attached the resident to an AED, delivered shocks and performed CPR.

    Next, Montgomery Township Department of Fire Services arrived at the scene. Captain Rachel Gibson, Captain Andrew Weiner and Firefighter Brandi Blusiewicz assisted by performing high-quality, pit crew-style chest compressions. Battalion Chief and Paramedic Adam Zwislewski provided airway control and manual ventilations using a bag-valve device.

    The Volunteer Medical Service Corp of Lansdale arrived on the scene next. Paramedic Joseph Ross provided an Advanced Life Support assessment, manual defibrillation, medication, ECG and advanced patient care. Advanced EMT Joseph Vogelgesang provided vascular infusion treatment and assisted with medication.

    Thanks to the collective efforts of everyone involved, Mr. Jenkins survived the medical emergency and attended the awards ceremony, where he shook each recipient’s hand.

    Cardiac Arrest: Nov. 17, 2023

    Lansdale resident Tom Pepe (second from left) and Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter Executive Director Lynn Cohen (left) stand with Lifesaving Award recipients on May 13, 2024. The township presented Hatfield resident Matthew Decesare (third from left) with a plaque to commemorate his role in the lifesaving effort. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    The second incident took place during the afternoon of Nov. 17th. Hatfield resident Matthew Decesare was driving near the intersection of Lansdale Avenue and Crestwood Drive when he observed a man – Mr. Tom Pepe – collapse while jogging. Matt stopped his car, approached the man and determined that he wasn’t breathing.

    While Matt wasn’t certified in CPR, he remembered the importance of doing chest compressions to the beat of Bee Gees’ “Staying Alive.” After calling 9-1-1, Matt performed chest compressions for over five minutes until Montgomery Township Police arrived on scene.

    Officer Dan Rose took over CPR and Officer Hannah Moran administered shocks with the AED. Matt helped direct traffic around the incident until Montgomery Township Firefighters arrived to help with both traffic control and patient care. They included Captain Andrew Backlund, EMT Jacob Weltman, EMT Robert Roy, Firefighter Harry Reese and Assistant Chief John Scheiter.

    The Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale also arrived on location and began patient care. Paramedic Moriyah Cox provided suction, EKG and medication. Chief Shane Wheeler performed a series of advanced imaging and monitoring tests, while Paramedics David Homce and Stephanie Traub provided IV therapy.

    Thanks to the collective efforts of everyone involved, Mr. Pepe survived and was even home from the hospital in time for Thanksgiving. He was joined by his wife at the awards ceremony, offering handshakes and hugs to those who helped save his life.

    Lifesaving Awards program

    The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action is awarded to people who step forward in an emergency situation to help save or sustain a human life. It is one of four awards given as part of the Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program. To nominate and recognize a person or group who has taken action to save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org.

  • Red Cross presents Lifesaving Awards to Montgomery Township employees and first responders

    By Alana Mauger

    Laura Burke, interim executive of the Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter, presents Certificates of Extraordinary Personal Action to Montgomery Township employees and first responders at the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Aug. 14, 2023. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    The American Red Cross recently presented Certificates of Extraordinary Personal Action to 11 Montgomery Township employees and first responders for steps they took to save a resident’s life in March 2023.  

    The incident began when Montgomery Township Recreation Center employee Angelina Capozzi discovered that a guest who had been playing pickle ball was sitting in a chair unconscious. She immediately activated the 9-1-1 system and began offering care.

    The guest went into cardiac arrest as Montgomery Township Police Officer Pete Byrne arrived on the scene. He and Angelina moved the person to the ground and began CPR. Police Captain Andrew Backland arrived while CPR was being administered and began directing patient care.

    Next, firefighters from Squad 18 arrived on the scene and took over CPR. Jake Weltman managed the patient’s airway, while Eoghan Lowry and Harry Reese took turns doing chest compressions. Anthony Rubas attached the AED and delivered one shock, restoring the patient’s pulse before the ambulance arrived.

    Paramedics Amanda Csanady, T.J. Stressman, Jon Schwartz and John Ardiff took over patient care and transported him to the hospital. Thanks to the collective efforts of everyone involved, the patient survived.

    Laura Burke, interim executive of the Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter, presented the 11 awardees with a certificate and pin during a Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Aug. 14, 2023.

    Lifesaving Awards program

    The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action is awarded to people who step forward in an emergency situation to help save or sustain a human life. It is one of four awards given as part of the Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program. To nominate and recognize a person or group who has taken action to save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org.

  • James Mascaro receives the Red Cross Certificate of Merit for saving his aunt’s life

    By Alana Mauger

    James Mascaro received an American Red Cross Certificate of Merit for saving his aunt, Dawn Mascaro, from choking last December. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross.

    Dawn Mascaro was attending a biannual customer appreciation open house last December at J.P. Mascaro & Sons in Audubon, Montgomery County, when a piece of food became lodged in her throat. Among the hundreds of people in attendance, she spotted her nephew James Mascaro across the room and quickly approached him for help. Dawn and James had taken their American Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED certification training together in that very room two years prior.

    When James realized his aunt was in distress, his training kicked in. He started by asking, “Are you choking?” When she affirmed, “Yes,” he moved her a few feet to a side room and began abdominal thrusts. After three light thrusts, Dawn started to lose consciousness. James recalls thinking, “I have to go harder and hope I don’t hurt her.” After four large thrusts the food was dislodged, and Dawn was able to breathe.

    For his efforts, James received the Certificate of Merit, the oldest and most prestigious American Red Cross Lifesaving Award. It’s hand- signed by the President of the United States – in this case President Biden – who traditionally serves as the Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross. In addition to the certificate, James received a medal and lapel pin.

    “James’ actions exemplify the highest degree of concern of one human being for another who is in distress. He is a hero and steward of the Red Cross mission,” said Laura Burke, interim executive director, Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter, who presented the award alongside Board Chair John Susanin in July.

    The presentation took place in the same room where James’ actions saved his aunt’s life. It’s also the room where James, Dawn and their colleagues were recertified in Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED this past May.

    Lifesaving Awards Program

    The Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program is comprised of four awards. In addition to the Certificate of Merit, the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders and Healthcare Professionals is given to trained people who respond to emergencies as part of their work. The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action goes to people who lack Red Cross training but who step up during an emergency. Finally, the Lifesaving Instructor Award is given to instructors who teach the skills that help save or sustain lives.

    You can nominate and recognize a person or group of people who have used the skills and knowledge gained in Red Cross training courses to help save or sustain a life. Visit LifesavingAwards.org to get started.

  • Third-generation lifeguard recognized for lifesaving efforts

    By Alana Mauger

    Brett Musselman (holding certificate) received an American Red Cross Lifesaving Award for First Responders in November. Also pictured (from left) are Perkasie Borough Director of Parks and Recreation Lauren Moll; Brett’s mother Rebecca Musselman; Brett’s grandmother Margie Hartzell; Red Cross Regional CEO Guy Triano; and Red Cross Training Services Aquatic Specialist Cait Waxler. Photo by Alana Mauger/American Red Cross

    For 19-year-old Brett Musselman, of Perkasie, lifeguarding is a family affair. He was trained and certified by his mom Becky in 2018. She was trained and certified by her mom – Brett’s grandmother – Margie in 1992. Margie was certified in 1979 and taught swimming and lifeguarding skills until she retired in 2003.

    All three generations came to the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania headquarters in Philadelphia on Nov. 16 to see Brett accept a Red Cross Lifesaving Award for First Responders for his heroic actions on July 3 while working at Menlo Aquatics Center, a large, multi-pool facility in Bucks County.

    While on duty, Brett noticed a patron go unresponsive in the water from what he learned later was a medical incident. He activated the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and entered the water. Brett kept the patron’s head above water while additional staff retrieved the backboard. In a single motion, they extracted the patron out of the water where staff and off-duty responders called 9-1-1, started CPR and retrieved the AED. After one shock of the AED, the patient showed signs of life and EMS arrived.

    “Brett was so clear in his whistle blows that he activated the EAP seamlessly, allowing other responders to carry out the following steps,” explained Lauren Moll, Brett’s supervisor who nominated him for the award. “The successful response all stemmed from the fact that he recognized it and activated it.”

    Becky, who is an active instructor at the YMCA of Bucks County, heard about the incident while at work. She certified many of the lifeguards at Menlo Aquatics Center and knew that some of her former trainees were likely involved in the incident. She was proud to learn Brett was a key player in that response.

    Brett is Red Cross-trained, having completed Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers, First Aid and Administering Emergency Oxygen courses. Thanks to his quick recognition of the patron’s medical emergency, activation of the Emergency Action Plan and extraction from the water, followed by CPR and the use of the AED, the patron’s life was saved.

    “Brett exemplifies the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies,” said Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania CEO Guy Triano. “We commend him for his willingness to help others in distress.”

    Lifesaving Awards program

    The Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders is awarded to Red Cross-trained first responders and healthcare professionals acting while on duty. It is one of four awards given as part of the Red Cross Lifesaving Awards program. To nominate and recognize a person or group who has taken action to save or sustain a life, visit LifesavingAwards.org.