Tuesday, November 17, 2015

CCSO Deputies Honored For Saving Lives

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, far left, with CCSO deputies at Tuesday's Phoenix Awards ceremony. Photo by Cpl. Efrain Hernandez/CCSO

Eighteen Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies were honored Tuesday for bringing people back to life after sudden cardiac death.

The deputies were among more than 100 Collier County first responders who were honored with Phoenix Awards by the Collier County Emergency Medical Services Department in a special ceremony at the county Emergency Services Center, 8075 Lely Cultural Parkway in East Naples.

Named after the mythological bird that died and rose renewed from the ashes, the Phoenix Award is given to first responders who brought back to life, through their highly trained efforts, patients who were clinically dead, with no heartbeat or breathing.

The awards were received for 18 patients who were resuscitated over a six-month period this year.

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk handed the deputies their award.

The following CCSO deputies were honored Tuesday:

Cpl. Gregory Gosselin responded to a call of 76-year-old man who was in cardiac arrest at  Erin’s Isle Restaurant in East Naples on Jan. 3.  Cpl. Gosselin was the first responder to arrive on scene and immediately started CPR. Firefighters arrived and administered three shocks to the man. Paramedics arrived and found pulses and respiration. The man was discharged alive from the hospital.

Cpl. David Schaare Jr., assisted in the post-cardiac arrest care of a 70-year-old woman at Naples South Dialysis Center on Jan. 5. She was defibrillated once by an automated external defibrillator (AED) and regained pulses and respiration. She was later discharged alive from the hospital.

Cpl. Jason Stauffer found an 81-year-old woman in cardiac arrest in the parking lot of her residence in North Naples on Feb. 25.  He began CPR on the woman. She regained pulses and respiration on the way to the hospital. She was discharged alive from the hospital.

Dispatcher Richard Swink answered a 911 call Feb. 28 and coached the husband of the 64-year-old patient in CPR until paramedics arrived. Paramedics continued cardiac arrest treatment while the patient was transported to the hospital, defibrillating her three times, with the return of pulses. The patient was discharged alive from the hospital.

Dispatcher Dee Fuentes answered a 911 call March 28 and coached the patient’s family in CPR until the arrival of Cpl. Anna Horowitz, firefighters and paramedics. The 68-year-old patient was defibrillated twice and became awake and alert. The patient underwent cardiac catheterization at the hospital and was discharged from alive from the hospital.

Sgt. Patrick McManus assisted in the care of a 55-year-old woman in cardiac arrest April 6. When paramedics arrived the woman’s pulses and respirations had returned. She was later discharged alive from the hospital.

Cpl. Matt Vaill assisted in the care of a 52-year-old man who had collapsed in his home in Golden Gate Estates on April 22. The man was defibrillated twice and eventually regained pulses and respirations. The man was talking and asking questions at the hospital. He was discharged alive from the hospital.

Dispatcher Cecilia Orr answered a 911 call May 6 and coached the patient’s wife in CPR until Cpl. John Knowlton arrived. Cpl. Knowlton moved the 66-year-old man to the ground and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Paramedics defibrillated the man multiple times and had a return of pulses at the hospital. He was later discharged alive from the hospital.

Dispatcher Thomas Morris answered a 911 call June 14 and coached the family of a 1-year-old girl in CPR until Cpl. Eric Kincaid and Deputy Meagan Kitchenoff arrived. Cpl. Kincaid and Deputy Kitchenoff continued CPR on the child until turning her over to paramedics for transport to the hospital. The child regained pulses in the ambulance and was transported alive to the hospital. She was discharged alive from the hospital three days later.

Cpl. James Driscoll and Deputy Michael Puka assisted in the care of an 85-year-old East Naples man who had collapsed in his home in cardiac arrest June 28. The man was defibrillated once and regained pulses in the ambulance. He was discharged alive from the hospital.


Sgt. James Byers, Cpl. Charles Creamer and Auxiliary Deputy Michael Malarney initiated CPR and applied an AED to a 64-year-old man in cardiac arrest June 30. The AED did not find shockable rhythm but pulses returned prior to the arrival of paramedics and firefighters. The patient was later discharged alive from the hospital.