Man Has Heart Attack On A Train—And Is Saved!

Via MyFoxNY

First reports of a pregnant woman being removed from an L train and taken to the hospital yesterday morning—now news that a man had a heart attack on an A train at Columbus Circle last night! And he was saved—thanks to the efforts of cops, other passengers, and a heart defibrillator.

According to the Post, the 50-year-old Long Island man "fell ill on a Brooklyn-bound A train" (packed during the evening rush hour). Cops, plus a doctor and retired EMS worker, in the the station started to perform CPR, but since he didn't respond, they called for a defibrillator. The Post says, "Officer Joseph Dellauniversita, 23, who was appointed to the force in January 2008, used the device to shock the victim, but it did not work. However, a second attempt was successful." The man was taken to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition.

Here's video of Dellauniversita explaining how the defibrillator works—he credited his Police Academy training, too.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on October 17, 2009 10:10 AM

Comments [rss]

potsmoker

i gotta throw in that its surprising that he wasnt handcuffed and arrested for not following instructions, producing ID and loitering on the platform!

potsmoker

an AED only works if its needed. its automatic, doesnt just shock people for the fun of it.

*certified* commenter

Spirit of 76

Good outcome, but Dellauniversita could use some lessons on public speaking. "We get training on this during our training"? He also makes it sound like it takes special training, which isn't a good thing. The public should learn that AEDs have clear, simple instructions so that almost anyone can use it effectively. Strange that the academy would teach anterior-posterior positioning of the pads. Sternal-apical (on the upper right and lower left ribcage) is usually easier and preferred since you don't have to roll someone over to reach his back. For many injuries, you don't want to move the patient any more than necessary.

Mr Mel

He's a cop not a TV personality. At least not yet.

Spirit of 76

Most cops who save a life don't get shoved in front of a camera and microphone. If you're going to let one of your officers talk to the press, you'd better be sure he can string together a proper sentence and stay on message.

Wish

It's awesome to see the police in the news for doing something Good for a change.

Atomische

So, the transit system isn't a bad place to get health care?

Wza

Right?

Baby born one day, man saved from heart attack the next day.

Mr Mel

We need a story like this every once in a while. It makes up in some part for the celebrity miscreants and their antics. A good start for today. Thanks Jen.