Man honored by Buffalo Grove for life-saving use of CPR

Christopher Browne credited his Boy Scout training for his quick action in responding to a man who had stopped breathing at 8:37 p.m. on April 1 in the Buffalo Grove store where he works.

His good deed was recognized by the Buffalo Grove village board Monday, as was the teamwork exhibited by Browne, a Buffalo Grove police officer and Buffalo Grove firefighters.

Browne, a manager at Sam Ash Music, and Buffalo Grove police Officer Greg Hill, who was the initial first responder to arrive on the scene, received the Fire Chief's Citation.

Fire Department Company Citations were also presented to Buffalo Grove Fire Department personnel who were present - from Ambulance 25, firefighters/paramedics Josh Himmelspach and Ryan McCarthy; from Tower 25, Acting Lt. Jeff Morris and firefighters/paramedics Rob Herrmann and Brian Potesta; from Battalion 4, Battalion Chief Shawn Collins; and from Engine 26, Lt. Scott Olsen and firefighters/paramedics Charles Kolder and Frank Doll.

Browne said his store was hosting one of its Wednesday night open mic jams when, with closing time approaching, "I just heard this horrific crash. … I ran up to the stage and saw a couple of the customers picking up this guy off the floor," he said.

To Browne, it looked like the man had fainted. The victim was one of the open mic regulars.

"I looked at him. It looked like he wasn't breathing, and so I guess Boy Scout training just kind of kicked in at that point," he said.

After checking his pulse and breathing and finding neither, he began CPR.

"I just started working on him," he said.

Interim Fire Chief William "Mike" Baker told the village board Monday that the incident response was an admirable illustration of the five links in the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival - immediate recognition of cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system; early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with an emphasis on chest compressions; rapid defibrillation; effective advanced life support; and integrated post-cardiac arrest care.

"They (the links) were all present. They were all done by different people," Baker said.

Baker said Browne handed off closing duties to another store employee and told that employee to call 911. He said Browne did a proper assessment and realized CPR was needed.

Meanwhile, as emergency units were being dispatched, Baker said, Hill was only two doors away and responded by bringing in the AED.

"He saw that Browne was doing good CPR and told him to continue," Baker said.

As Hill started the process of charging the machine, firefighter/paramedics began to arrive. They delivered the defibrillation and started advanced life support, hooking up the cardiac monitor that is carried in all ambulances.

When the battalion chief arrived, he brought another engine to the scene so that specific tasks could be parceled out to more people. The patient was treated at Northwest Community Hospital and was eventually discharged.

Connie Mattera, EMS administrative director for Northwest Community Hospital, told the board only 2 percent to 12 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest regain a pulse, much less survive. One reason the patient survived was "because we do all work together as a team and we have learned the things that work and we have learned the things that don't work. … You have some of the best paramedics anywhere on the planet."

Baker praised Northwest Community, noting a 48 percent survival rate in this area.

Browne followed up with the patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, and the patient said he intends to return to open mic night.