Story posted Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Officer, Firefighters To Be Honored For Life-Saving Efforts
A Park Ridge police officer and 12 Park Ridge firefighters will be honored on Monday, Mar. 8 at the 12th annual program at the VFW Hall in the city.
Officer Dave Cacioppo was the first official on the scene when a man went into cardiac arrest at the Pickwick Restaurant on July 8, 2009. Due to Cacioppo's quick action with an automated external defibrillator along with assistance from other patrons and paramedic response, the man recovered from the attack.
A committee of his peers selected him for the VFW nomination. Besides the lifesaving, Cacioppo also turned a routine traffic stop into a significant drug bust. During the stop, he recovered 1,100 grams of suspected marijuana.
The fire department selection committee chose 12 members for their actions during a traffic crash. Six people were trapped in the two vehicles when emergency workers arrived on the scene. It took rescue workers only 38 minutes to extricate all six people from the vehicles, while performing advanced life support on them. Park Ridge firefighter/paramedics on the scene were, Aaron Blane, Chris Buckley, Nick Falco, Mike Isom, Matt Jarka, Russell LoCoco, Dave Malcomson II, Bill Smaha, Tom Sutfin, Frank Villari, and Greg Woodford. They were led by Lieutenant/Paramedic John Ortlund.
The program at the VFW began as a way to honor only Park Ridge officers and fire fighters. It now includes officials from Des Plaines, Chicago, Norridge, Cook County, and Illinois State Police.
Speak Out!
Comments are edited first by Journal staff before running in print and appearing online.