Salem, MA, Fire Recruit Saves Heart Attack Victim Driving to Academy
A Salem Fire Department recruit on his way to training at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy last Wednesday provided critical aid to a cyclist on the side of the road who was suffering a heart attack, with the patient now recovering at Mass General.
Around 5:30 a.m. on the morning of June 10, Salem Fire Department Recruit Colby Boulay was traveling through Weston on his way to the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy for training, when he spotted a cyclist laying on his side in the road.
Noticing that the cyclist was not moving, Boulay pulled over and exited his vehicle to see that the individual was non-responsive, with a wound on the side of his head and labored breathing.
“I immediately called 911, and initially tried to check to see if he was alert and responding to any stimuli — which he wasn’t,” Boulay said. “So I got him prepped for performing CPR.”
As Boulay began providing aid, two Winthrop Fire Department Recruits, Harry Benson and Adam Lundberg, who were also heading to the Academy as members of Class #341, came upon the scene. Together, the three recruits performed CPR and undertook lifesaving efforts until members of the Weston Fire Department arrived and took over patient care.
By the time the patient was loaded onto a MedFlight helicopter, a pulse had been restored.
While Boulay is not yet a certified EMT, he said that his training through the Cataldo Ambulance company, which was set up by the Salem Fire Department, allowed him to take action under extreme circumstances.
“The training that I’ve received, not only at the Salem Fire Department and through Cataldo, but also at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, gave me the confidence to not be in a full panic.”
That afternoon, Weston Fire Chief Justin Woodside traveled to the Academy to meet personally with the recruits, thank them for their efforts, and present them each with a challenge coin.
Chief Alan Dionne of the Salem Fire Department said that Boulay’s actions are indicative of the type of individuals the department seeks to join the fire service.
“Recruit Boulay’s quick thinking, decisive action, and commitment to serving others exemplify the values of the fire service,” Dionne said in a statement. “His actions, along with those of the Winthrop recruits who stopped to assist, undoubtedly provided this individual with the best possible chance of survival. Faced with a life-threatening emergency, he showed no hesitation, immediately stepping forward to provide care to the best of his ability.”
In a Facebook post, family members of the cyclist, who is now awake but still in cardiac ICU at Mass General as of Saturday, thanked the recruits for their decisive action.
“Thank you all for your quick response and expert care,” Sandy Kane said in a Facebook comment. “My husband Mark, the cyclist, had suffered a heart attack while on his bike. You all saved his life!”
Boulay thanked the Weston Fire EMS and Police for their quick response to the scene, which he said was only about five minutes after he called 911.
“Kudos to the Weston Fire EMS and Police, they were right on top of it,” Boulay said. “In the time that I was there, it appeared he had either nearly or completely lost his pulse, and they were able to revive him and get him on a MedFlight out. They got there quickly and jumped right to it, it was impressive to watch.”
Michael McHugh can be contacted at [email protected] or at 781-799-5202
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