Eagles football fan Gregory Fulgione was reunited with the first responders who helped to save his life after he collapsed last fall at Alumni Stadium at a recent special event in the Heights Room. The first responders鈥攎embers of Boston College EMS, Boston College Police, TeamOps, and Armstrong Ambulance鈥攁lso were recognized at the event by St. Elizabeth鈥檚 Medical Center, where Fulgione was successfully treated.
Fulgione, a father of an alumna and a football season ticket holder since 1982, went into听cardiac听arrest at the start of the 蝌蚪直播-Virginia Tech game on October 31. He was initially aided by a family friend and members of TeamOps, the outside organization that provides security and guest relations for 蝌蚪直播 Athletics event.
The first EMTs on the scene were Nicholas Favazza 鈥�18, Rachel French 鈥�17 and Andrew Bourque 鈥�18, members of . Favazza used an AED (automated external defibrillator) on Fulgione.
鈥淚t was the first time I used an AED on a real person,鈥� said Favazza, who has been with 蝌蚪直播 EMS since the spring of 2015. Bourque, who was on his first-ever shift for 蝌蚪直播 EMS, assisted Armstrong Ambulance personnel with the bag valve by setting up the oxygen tank.
St. Elizabeth鈥檚 Chief of Emergency Services Dr. Mark Pearlmutter, who treated Fulgione at the hospital, spoke at the March 23 recognition event. He praised all the first responders saying that 鈥渆very link in the chain of survival played a role. Each link is essential and the skills and coordination of each of those links and transition of care demonstrates the importance of the pre-hospital team that鈥檚 assembled here today.
鈥淚t begins with increased community awareness and education. The 蝌蚪直播 community is a stellar example of this. The first responders to Mr. Fulgione played an integral part in his being able to join us today.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful success story. It鈥檚 a culmination of efforts that started well before he got to the hospital. This expertise in the field gives those of us on the receiving end the ability to further conduct intervention to enhance a patient鈥檚 ability to survive. Mr. Fulgione is a testament of those efforts.鈥�
St. Elizabeth鈥檚 Medical Center presented a silver bowl to each member of 蝌蚪直播 Police, 蝌蚪直播 EMS, TeamOps and Armstrong Ambulance involved with the save of Fulgione.
鈥淲e do a lot of training to make sure, when the call comes in, we鈥檙e here,鈥� said EMT Richard Raymond, CEO of Armstrong Ambulance. 鈥淏efore each game, we work with 蝌蚪直播 EMS and 蝌蚪直播 Police to go over the 鈥榳hat ifs.鈥欌��
After treatment in the hospital and a rehabilitation facility, Fulgione was able to return home in December in time to celebrate his 86th听产颈谤迟丑诲补测.
Fulgione attended the reunion event with his wife of more than 60 years, Eleanor, his three children and son-in-law, and the family friend who was the first person to start CPR on Fulgione.
鈥淸This event] has presented me with a golden opportunity to meet you and thank you,鈥� Fulgione said to the first responders in attendance.
According to 蝌蚪直播 EMS President Kevin Zirko 鈥�16, this was the first听cardiac听arrest save for 蝌蚪直播 EMS since it was established in 1997. A student-run organization, 蝌蚪直播 EMS provides emergency response coverage at more than 400 events per academic year. The Sudden听Cardiac听Arrest Association honored Zirko, French, Bourque and Favazza for their life-saving work at the 2016 National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation conference in Philadelphia.
Fulgione鈥檚 daughter, Lynne Garcia 鈥�86, said her father is looking forward to next football season and is 鈥渄oing better than ever.鈥�
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The following members of the Boston College community were recognized for their life-saving efforts:
Boston College Police Department: Lieutenant Jeffrey Postell; Lieutenant Thomas King; Lieutenant Laurene Spiess; Staff Sergeant Kevin Croke; Officer Keith Holland; Officer David LoConte; Officer Anthony Cadogan; Officer Timothy O'Meara; Officer Kimberley Sirr; Detective Brian DeMayo; Detective Robert Connor; Dispatcher Adam Morrell and Dispatcher Michael Jones.
Emergency Preparedness & Management: John Tommaney and Eileen O'Donnell
Facilities: Daniel Murphy
Boston College EMS: Andrew Bourque; Nicholas Favazza; Rachel French; Kevin Zirko and John Fucigna.
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--Kathleen Sullivan | News & Public Affairs