Buffalo Grove honors firefighters, dispatcher for lifesaving efforts

The Buffalo Grove village board this week honored the heroic cooperation between Buffalo Grove and Long Grove firefighters, as well as the expert coordination of a dispatcher from Northwest Central Dispatch System which allowed it to happen.

Together, officials say, their teamwork saved a man’s life.

Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Terry Vavra said the family of a 57-year-old man living in an area bordering Long Grove called 911 on Jan. 5, saying he had fallen and hit his head.

Vavra said that after dispatcher Cindy Brick was told the man was having very serious difficulty breathing, and it was questionable whether his heart was beating, she used her training in emergency medical dispatching to talk the man’s family through the process of applying CPR.

An engine company from Long Grove responded to the scene, followed by a Buffalo Grove ambulance, a Buffalo Grove engine and a battalion chief. Together they were able to resuscitate the man.

“What’s interesting about this is that every step of the way, every plan that we had put in place worked,” Vavra said.

The initial contact through the dispatch center proved to be the key, he said.

“Cindy was able to calm the people, give them directions and actually make our job a lot easier.”

Brick said, “It was terrifying and, obviously, people were upset. But we just try to do the best we can to get them to answer the questions.”

The Buffalo Grove firefighters honored were Lt. Ron Two Bulls, Firefighter/Paramedic Larry Lezon, Firefighter/Paramedic Nick Otto, Firefighter/Paramedic Ryan McCarthy, Firefighter/Paramedic Dan Pasquarella and Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Steen. The Long Grove firefighters were Lt. John Jaworski, Firefighter/Paramedic Shaun Unell and Firefighter Roger Dini.