East Meadow F.D. responders save heart attack victim

Volunteers from the East Meadow Fire Department, along with lifeguards from the Nassau County Aquatic Center, helped save a man who suffering from cardiac arrest in the facility’s fitness center on Sunday morning at about 9:57 a.m. 

On arrival, responders from EMFD Rescue Company No. 4, led by Lieutenant Giovanni Bautista, found the victim not breathing and without a pulse, officials said. According to the EMFD, lifeguards performed CPR and used a defibrillator in attempts to restart the man’s heart before crews arrived. EMFD technicians took over the CPR and resuscitation process and were able to restart his heart. According to EMFD Chief Carl Pugliese, the victim regained a pulse and heartbeat and began breathing on his own with oxygen assistance when he was loaded into the ambulance. The man was transported to the Nassau University Medical Center, where officials said he was admitted into the Cardiac Care Unit and should be released within a week or two. 

Firefighters lauded the efforts of the Aquatic Center staff that launched the rescue process. 

“It was a great effort on all involved — lifeguards, first responders and emergency room staff,” Pugliese said. “I’m proud of all the members of my department who responded to the scene and helped save the patient’s life.”

Lightning strikes neighborhood

The EMFD was busy on April 15 as strong storms swept through the area. At about 7:35 p.m., a lightning strike at the Meadowoods residential complex off of Merrick Avenue created a dangerous situation for residents and emergency responders.

According to Pugliese, a tree that was struck by lightning started what it described as a “tree grenade.” The chief explained that shards of the tree took out lights, awnings and glass doors. “It was a devastating amount of damage,” Pugliese said.