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Five rescuers get commendations for saving a life
Doctors said victim has less than 10% chance of survival without help

by Glenn Wohltmann

Two Pleasanton police dispatchers, two officers and a sergeant are being commending for their work last month that saved a heart attack victim.

Police Dispatcher Teri Stewart received a 9-1-1 call from a woman reporting her 53-year-old friend male was suffering from a possible heart attack, just before 9 p.m. Jan. 19. As the woman attempted to perform CPR, dispatcher Brandy Medeiros sent Officer Lisa Cavellini, Officer Jeff Grave and Sgt. Joseph Leonardo to the location.

Within two minutes of the call, the officers were on scene and assessing the victim. Cavellini immediately began CPR, while Grave deployed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Leonardo performed rescue breathing.

The shock from the AED restarted the man's heart. By the time he was in an ambulance en route to the hospital he was coherent and talking. Two days later he was released from the hospital with no residual effects or complications.

Doctors determined the man had suffered a massive heart attack and had it not been for orchestrated efforts of public workers, he would have had less than a 10% chance of survival.

The five involved in the rescue were formally commended Feb. 6 by Chief Dave Spiller.

Every patrol vehicle in the Pleasanton Police Department's fleet is equipped with an AED and all officers receive regular training in CPR and advanced first aid. The department encourages everyone to learn CPR.