ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – On his 59th birthday, Doug Hanson experienced a life-threatening “widow-maker” heart attack, but thanks to the quick actions of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue and a collaborative medical team, he is alive and well today.
Hanson collapsed shortly after leaving his house on his birthday morning. A two-person crew from St. Petersburg Fire Rescue arrived promptly and revived him, only for him to experience another cardiac arrest in the ER.
“I’ve had an entire year to celebrate just being here,” said a grateful Hanson. “It made me want to meet the people who saved my life.”
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His wish was granted in an emotional reunion at Pinellas County Fire & EMS, where he met the firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, and medical staff who worked together to save his life.
Jacob Moskowitz, one of the firefighter paramedics who responded to the call, acknowledged the rarity of such reunions and expressed his happiness with the outcome.
“It’s very rare that you get to meet a patient that you ran on,” said Moskowitz. “Everyone on the call did phenomenal, and it was a team effort. I am just happy it turned out this way.”
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Jeremy Tinter, Director of Operations at SunStar Paramedics, emphasized the collaborative effort that saved Hanson’s life. “St. Petersburg Fire Rescue arrived on the scene, provided essential early intervention, and worked seamlessly with our SunStar paramedic team to deliver advanced life support right there where it was needed most.” Tinter added that Hanson went into cardiac arrest twice once en route to the hospital and again upon arrival at the ER. The crews managed to revive him both times.
Hanson expressed his deep gratitude to the room full of rescuers, stating, “The moment you guys walked in the door, I knew I was in good hands.”
The reunion ended on a sweet note, with Hanson being presented with a belated birthday cake.
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