FDNY Celebrates Cardiac Arrest Survivors at Second Chance Brunch
Cynthia Herbert, New York City teacher, reunites with her rescuers at the FDNY's 18th Annual Second Chance Brunch.
FDNY members always say that saving lives is just part of the job. But on May 22, they got the rare opportunity to pause and meet one of the lives they saved.
The 18th annual Second Chance Brunch, held at the Fire Academy as part of EMS Week, brought together nine cardiac arrest survivors and their rescuers.
"Celebrating this day is one of the true joys of my job," Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said. "We’re honoring lives saved and the incredible work done by our paramedics, EMTs and firefighters every day."
Chief of EMS Abdo Nahmod added, "We don’t get do overs in this job. We have to do it right the first time, and all of the members here today did just that."
Among the survivors being honored was sixth grade teacher Cynthia Herbert, who works at the Doctor Rose B. English School in Brooklyn. She was teaching class on Sept. 15, 2011, when she suddenly collapsed. Her students, knowing she had a heart condition, ran out of the classroom and notified other teachers and staff.
The Assistant Principal called 911 as physical education teacher, Alina Salner-Washington, identified that the woman was in cardiac arrest, began CPR and used the defibrillator, saying, "The training I have just kicked in."
Minutes later, EMTs Raul Perez and Ricardo Otero arrived alongside Paramedics Andre Pierre-Louis and Howard Henry. The EMS members shocked her with the defibrillator and inserted a breathing tube before beginning hypothermia treatment, which involves administrating intravenous cooling fluids to preserve brain function during cardiac arrest.
"When we got her back, it was joyful," Paramedic Henry said.
Many other FDNY members arrived and continued to help with care as she was transported to Brookdale Hospital.
She went back to teaching just four months later.
"I was nervous and scared," one of her students, Joshua Walker, 11, said about the incident, but added that it inspired him to become a paramedic or EMT.
Another student in the class, Justin Mills, 11, also said the event made him want to join EMS when he grows up. He said he was relieved to see his teacher doing well, adding, "Today, she looks beautiful. Fabulous."
EMT Otero said he thought the job was all in a day’s work, but "it’s really nice to hear a ‘thank you’ and meet her here."
Also honored was Anne Perasa, a retired nurse from Brooklyn. She was attending Easter Sunday mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church on Apr. 24, 2011, when she collapsed at the pew.
She was planning to attend the 9 a.m. mass, but overslept and went to the noon mass instead.
Also attending the noon mass by accident was Felicia Lim, a nurse at Lutheran Medical Center. She had planned to attend the 7 a.m. mass, but was in the pew behind Ms. Perasa that day. She recognized what happened, told her husband to call 911 and immediately began CPR.
FDNY members quickly arrived, including EMTs Kristina Frangella and Adam Salhany, Lt Michael McCaffrey and Firefighters Frank Fracchiolla, Joseph Daretany, William Long and Jorge Cornejo, to care for Ms. Perasa. They restored her heartbeat with two shocks of the defibrillator, then paramedics arriving from Maimonides Medical Center and FDNY EMS Lt. Anthony Cozzino administered intravenous medication.
She was transported to Mamonides and was able to return to the church for Easter Sunday mass in 2012.
Ms. Perasa said she wanted to meet her rescuers for more than a year.
When she finally met them, she said, "I don’t deserve this. They deserve this [motioning to her rescuers]. These are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job."