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Twinsburg honors officers and firefighters after on-duty lifesaving and baby rescue
Summary
Twinsburg officials on Sept. 9 recognized a police lieutenant for performing CPR and helping revive a sergeant after sudden cardiac arrest, and the fire department honored crew members who rescued an infant from a house fire on Aug. 17.
Mayor Sam Scafidi proclaimed official thanks to Lieutenant Brian Donato for lifesaving actions after Sergeant Patrick Quinn collapsed at work on Feb. 6, 2025, and the City presented certificates to Twinburg Fire Department personnel for rescuing a baby from a house fire on Aug. 17.
Scafidi read a proclamation saying that on Feb. 6, 2025, Sgt. Patrick Quinn “collapsed at work from sudden cardiac arrest,” that he “was on the ground without a pulse and not breathing for 1 to 2 minutes before Lieutenant Donato discovered him,” and that Donato “immediately began life saving efforts by administering CPR and alerting assisting officers to use the AED.” The proclamation, read by Scafidi, said Quinn required “41 minutes without a stable heartbeat, 14 shocks from a defibrillator, and continuous chest compressions” before being stabilized at Hillcrest Hospital.
Sgt. Quinn spoke briefly at the meeting and said he did not have much to add but told the council, “without Lieutenant Donato's discovery of me and his immediate response with life saving measures, I would not be here today.”
Fire Chief Steve Basso and other city officials recognized firefighters Kevin Rock (senior firefighter) and Josh Jarzab for their roles in rescuing an infant from a basement during a house fire on Aug. 17. Chief Basso described the call as “a nightmare call” and said firefighters entered “the basement fully charged with smoke and flames” and that a baby was removed from the basement before he arrived. The chief told council the crew’s training and quick response — he cited a roughly 12-minute interval from call to rescue — were critical to the outcome.
Basso said senior firefighters provide leadership on scene and singled out Rock for assigning the crew and Jarzab for conducting a search that located the infant in a room that was clear of smoke. He said the infant was being cared for by partner agencies on arrival and thanked Solon EMS and Hudson EMS. The council presented certificates of recognition to Jarzab and Rock.
Dispatchers and other members of the police and fire teams were also acknowledged. Dispatcher Lisa Davis and several paramedics and fire medics were named during the recognitions, including Morgan Powers, Wilson Wojcovich, Leron Maynor, Nathan Brown and Lieutenant Brian Janusic.
Council members and the mayor praised the city’s public safety personnel. Council President Post said the recognitions and the stories were “a wonderful reminder” to honor first responders. Several council members and the mayor observed that the incidents underscored the value of training, equipment (including AEDs), and coordinated dispatch.
No formal council action or vote was required to present the proclamation and certificates; the presentations were ceremonial acknowledgments on the Sept. 9 agenda.
