September 14, 2016
Robert Cummings today met the six paramedics who helped resuscitate him after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in August. The reunion took place at 43 Station, 126 Pape Ave., at the station's official reopening after a significant refurbishment.
"Our city's first responders are true civic heroes, and I am proud to be here today with our community's paramedics at 43 Station as we celebrate its re-opening," said Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth). "Paramedics save lives, and I want to thank Mr. Cummings for joining us today to share his story and to meet these paramedics!"
"The paramedic profession has come a long way since the horse-drawn ambulance housed in this station in the early 1900s," said Gord McEachen, Toronto Paramedic Services Deputy Chief. "The education, skills practised and state-of-the-art equipment that our paramedics use to care for patients like Mr. Cummings have evolved to a point where Toronto Paramedic Services is effectively bringing the emergency department to your living room. I couldn't be more proud of our people."
On the morning of August 4, Jennifer Cummings drove to 41 Station to ask the paramedics for help with her husband Robert. As she was driving, her husband beside her stopped breathing and her instinct was to seek help at the nearest paramedic station. Fortunately, paramedics Chris Magiroglou, Daniel Mott, Viet Nguyen and Mike Street had not yet left the station that morning. As soon as they saw Mrs. Cummings enter the station's driveway, they ran to help her. The paramedics quickly assessed Mr. Cummings and recognized his life-threatening condition. They requested that their emergency medical dispatcher send more help and paramedics Paul Klaehn and Brian Miller were also dispatched to the scene.
Together, the paramedics gave the patient CPR, monitored his vital signs and determined the type of heart attack he was having so they could transport him to the most appropriate hospital. On the way, they provided medication intravenously that helped resuscitate Cummings and keep his brain and heart alive until the necessary heart surgery was completed later that day at the trauma centre.
Today was an emotional reunion of paramedics with a recovering Robert Cummings at the official reopening of 43 Station, which is located just south of 41 Station where his wife sought help last month.
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Media contact: Kim McKinnon, Toronto Paramedic Services, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
, 416-392-2255
