In a year of loss, Oct. 12 was a win in Vernon Hills. Here's why.

During the pandemic, good days have been harder to come by, which is why Vernon Hills Countryside Fire Protection District Chief Chuck Smith said it was important to recognize nine area first responders who worked to save the life of a Vernon Hills woman in October.

A Vernon Hills police officer, two Countryside Fire dispatchers and six Countryside firefighters and paramedics were going to be recognized on Nov. 19 before the Countryside Fire Protection District board meeting.

But warnings about public gatherings in the face of a sharp upturn in COVID-19 cases dashed that plan. Instead, Smith and Countryside Battalion Chief Daniel Ogurek presented recognitions to members of the team at several smaller gatherings.

"We're a group of people who don't always recognize ourselves for doing good things out there," Smith said of first responders. "It is important in these times when we've seen so much sadness in society right now to celebrate the good things that happen."

On Oct. 12, Countryside Fire dispatchers received a 911 call reporting that a 50-year-old woman was unresponsive. Smith said the dispatchers - Tanya Skjoldager and Jason Palo - concluded that the woman probably had suffered a cardiac arrest. They instructed family members to do CPR as they sent help to the home.

The first person to arrive was Vernon Hills police officer Haley Lemmer, who took over performing CPR on the woman from a family member.

Soon after, six members of the Countryside Fire Protection District - Lt. John Sherwood, firefighter Mark Speckan and firemedics Rob Elkins, Michael Garza, Nicholas McDowell and Avery Cielek - arrived.

Smith said each of the six had an important job to do. One continued CPR on the woman while another prepared the automatic CPR machine to take over.

Others pumped air into her lungs, inserted an IV line so medication could be administered, monitored her vital signs and gathered more information from her family.

Because patients often remain unconscious on route to the hospital, first responders usually don't see the outcome of their work, Smith said.

But this time, the woman regained consciousness in the ambulance.

"We have to celebrate the wins because we haven't had as many wins lately," Smith said.