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Canton Township recognizes ITI staff and public safety crews after on‑site cardiac arrest; employee returns to meeting
Summary
At the April 22 Canton Township meeting the board publicly recognized ITI staff and police and fire personnel whose coordinated response and use of an AED helped save Information Technology manager Joseph Kosinski on Jan. 8. Kosinski attended and spoke at the meeting.
Canton Township publicly recognized the coordinated effort of township information technology staff and emergency responders whose actions on Jan. 8 helped save IT manager Joseph Kosinski.
Supervisor Graham Hudak invited the ITI team and emergency personnel to the front of the meeting room and read statements from township departments describing the incident. According to the statements read aloud, an ITI staff member began CPR immediately, others retrieved and applied an automated external defibrillator (AED), and dispatchers coordinated 911 response while officers and firefighters provided continued high‑quality CPR and advanced care. Battalion Chief Nicholas Lombardi and multiple firefighters and officers were named by the supervisor as part of the response team.
Why the story matters: The board said early CPR, prompt AED use and coordinated emergency medical care directly contributed to the patient’s survival and used the recognition to highlight the value of CPR training and AED access for staff and the public.
Joseph Kosinski addressed the board and family members in the audience, thanking staff and first responders. “For those of you, to my staff, I love each and every one of you,” Kosinski said. He described the emotional impact of the event and thanked staff who performed CPR and prepared the AED. Township public safety representatives later described the patient’s initial condition as ventricular fibrillation; they said the patient was defibrillated three times and cardioverted once before regaining a pulse and being transported to a hospital where he stabilized.
The board and department directors credited the rapid actions across departments and noted other recent examples where bystander or staff CPR and AED use improved outcomes. Director Ball (public safety) reminded residents that CPR training is offered regularly through the fire department and recommended recertification at the frequency advised by the American Heart Association.
Speakers (selected): Joseph Kosinski (ITI manager), Supervisor Graham Hudak (Supervisor), Battalion Chief Nicholas Lombardi (Fire), Captain Richard Crackle (Fire), Captain Michael Toms (Fire), firefighter medics Gregory Derby, Brian Fitzgerald, Miranda Fuerast, Tyler Grauer, Jeremy Marchloff, Kelly Marino; officers Corey Alltyme, Zachary Arnold, Colin McCammon; PSSO Hannah Roe, PSSO Kathleen Johnson, PSSO Alexandria Samaskism; ITI staff listed in read statement included Victor Abegbu, Devin Landers, Jessica Pietka, Bavin Patel, Juliana Aldridge Karazewski, Eric McDaniel, David Banick, Clement Gloucester, Rosanna Sarati, Caitlin Pavlevic, Christy Smith and Joseph Kosinski.
Ending: The board staged a group photo and encouraged residents to seek CPR training; staff said the township offers classes quarterly or by arranging through fire administration and reminded the public that AEDs are increasingly available in public places.
