Emergency personnel applauded for their lifesaving efforts

TORONTO -- Robert Joseph Shook remembers very little of what happened after he passed out near the Valley Converting paper recycling plant on Jan. 13, but he does know that many people had a hand in ensuring he was able to survive.

Leaders of the TEMS Joint Ambulance District recognized several of the emergency medical personnel who treated Shook at a recent meeting, with TEMS ambulance personnel receiving the district's Top Gun awards for their efforts.

Clark Crago, the ambulance service's director, said TEMS Capt. Kathy Hartline and emergency medical technicians Mary Bender and Anthony Middleton were dispatched to the plant after Shook was found, unresponsive and hypothermic, in his vehicle near the plant.

Many stop in front of the plant to drop off paper in the company's recycling bins, and Shook had been seen a few hours earlier by Valley Converting employees.

Shook said he was told that later, staff there noticed his truck was still at the scene, with one door open, and found him passed out inside, having been exposed to subzero temperatures.

He said he'd had a bad reaction to a mix of medications and doesn't recall driving to the plant or anything that happened until days later.

Crago said the TEMS crew members found Shook "found the patient in respiratory arrest with a weak pulse. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Shook went into cardiac arrest."

Crago said as the emergency medical technicians loaded Shook into the ambulance, they noted his body was rigid from hypothermia.

"He was basically frozen," he said.

He said the crew attempted to resuscitate him cautiously because of his condition and while en route to Trinity Medical Center West, worked to warm him.

Crago said following arrival at the hospital's emergency room, Dr. Shannon Altazan detected a weak pulse, continuing treatment while a STAT MedEvac medical helicopter was summoned.

But because of inclement weather, an aerial transport wasn't an option, so a critical care team from STAT MedEvac treated Shook while he was transported to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in an ambulance driven by TEMS Capt. Caleb Gotschall.

Crago noted the team included Scott Spencer, a critical care nurse, and Tammy Littell, a critical care paramedic.

Shook said he lay in a medically induced coma while various family members rushed to the hospital, many fearing he would not survive.

"Waking up was quite a trip," he said, noting he opened his eyes to find his son, who had flown from his Naval position in San Francisco; and sister, who had traveled from Wisconsin, massaging his hands and feet.

"There were probably 15 people around me in the room," said Shook.

"My baby brother told me, 'You've been in an accident, but everything is OK,'" he recalled.

Shook said he remained at the hospital "four days shy of a month" before he was released.

Now at home, Shook said, "There were a lot of things that contributed to me being here. There were so many things -- yes, I'm grateful."

Noting the day of the incident was Friday the 13th, he suggested the emergency personnel may have been doubly prepared for a greater incidence of emergencies.

Whatever the case, Shook is very thankful to the women and men who provided medical care to him.

"Everybody did such a wonderful job," he said.

Also thankful is his daughter, Nina, who said, "Every medical staff member, from TEMS to UPMC, went above and beyond to help him."

Crago said to recognize the TEMS personnel's role in the rescue, the district's board of directors presented its Top Gun award to Hartline, Bender and Middleton.

He noted Hartline is a TEMS veteran, having started as a volunteer with the ambulance service more than 30 years ago.

The award was initiated last year and presented to paramedics Joshua Finney and Joshua Cline for their efforts with a grant-funded overdose prevention program.

Crago said this year the decision was made to accept nominations through the ambulance service's Facebook page.

He said many citizens shared accounts of the thorough and courteous service they received from TEMS personnel. He said all of his staff deserve praise for their hard work in often stressful situations, but the call involving Shook stood out among the nominations.

"Of course, we have saved lives, but nothing as significant as a frozen person," said Crago.