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Weston, BSO and Fire Rescue honor deputies and paramedics after February resuscitation; family credits responders with saving life
Summary
City and Broward Sheriff's Office officials recognized deputies and Fire Rescue personnel for a February 15 cardiac arrest rescue at Midtown Athletic Club. Bystander CPR, AED use and sequential defibrillation were credited with restoring pulses; the patient was released home with minimal deficit.
Weston officials and the Broward Sheriff's Office on March 17 recognized deputies and Fire Rescue personnel involved in a February 15 resuscitation at the Midtown Athletic Club that restored pulses to a 62-year-old man and led to his discharge home with minimal apparent deficits.
A Broward Sheriff's Office representative described the sequence of events: a bystander, later identified as Malik Tunk, performed immediate CPR; Deputy Martinez assisted with the airway while Deputy Lee retrieved and applied an AED. When initial shocks did not resolve the patient’s ventricular fibrillation, Fire Rescue personnel used a sequential-shocking technique — swapping sets of defibrillator pads and delivering an additional shock — and the patient regained spontaneous circulation. The patient was transported to Cleveland Clinic Hospital and later had coronary blood flow restored by the catheterization team.
"When the chain of survival is followed, the patient has the opportunity for the best possible outcome," the BSO representative said, summarizing the response and naming deputies and the Fire Rescue crew who provided care. The representative listed EMS Captain Dean Meadows; Lieutenants Marlon Tharp and Arminio (Al) LaVena; Driver Engineer Aaron Guest; and firefighter-paramedics Alan Casper, Emmanuel Moise and Jacob Krueger among those who took over patient care.
At the commission meeting the patient's spouse spoke, thanking the responders and describing follow-up care. "Not only did they save my husband's life, but they visited him at the hospital, prayed with us, followed up at rehab. They've become lifesavers and our heroes," the spouse said. She told commissioners the patient was able to leave the hospital and will attend a family wedding in late April.
City leaders presented certificates of recognition and took photos with the award recipients and family members. Fire Chief Todd Drazen introduced the award presentation and noted the joint work of Weston Fire Rescue and Broward Sheriff's Office deputies in the response.
The commission's recognition did not include any formal policy action; the presentation was ceremonial. The city and BSO urged residents to learn CPR and the location of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to help improve survival in cardiac arrest cases.
