Toronto EMS Personnel Honored for Lifesaving Efforts

Robert 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 "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 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."