Police And Fire Save Life Of St. James Student

Late in May, members of Springfield's police and fire departments saved the life of a student at St. James School.

According to a Springfield police statement, on Thursday, May 27, a 10-year-old student at St. James School collapsed and stopped breathing during gym class. Springfield Police officer Kevin Gilchrist responded to the school's request for emergency help. After seeing that that the student was not breathing and did not have a pulse, Gilchrist and the school's gym teacher performed CPR on the student.

Springfield Fire also responded to the scene. Fire department members, who are trained EMTs, used a heart defibrillator to shock the child's heart so that it resumed beating. The firefighters were able to stabilize the child's condition.

Springfield First Aid squad members brought the child to Overlook Hospital in Summit, He was later transferred to the trauma center at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown.

The firefighters who responded to the scene were Captain James Anagnos, Patrick Federico and Walter Heckel. Springfield police officer Marc McBratney also responded.