[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING JERRY POLDEN AND BOB POLDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 1999

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a local hero 
from western Wisconsin. I want to honor Jerry and Bob Polden who took 
courageous action to aid another citizen.
  For the past 3 years the Eau Claire Fire Fighters Local Union 487, in 
conjunction with the Eau Claire Fire Department, have recognized area 
residents who acted bravely in emergency situations. The recipients of 
the Citizen Community Involvement Awards are citizens who put the 
safety and well being of their neighbors ahead of other concerns in a 
time of need.
  Jerry and Bob Polden are two of those extraordinary citizens. On 
October 12, 1998 Jerry and Bob were pouring a concrete garage floor on 
Boardwalk street in Eau Claire, WI. Their father Kenneth Polden stopped 
by to help his sons with the job. As they were pouring the concrete 
their father suddenly collapsed on the ground in cardiac arrest. The 
two sons rushed over to him and found him pulseless and not breathing. 
Without hesitation the two sons began CPR on their father. Jerry did 
the rescue breathing and Bob did the compressions. They continued CPR 
for several minutes while they waited for the fire/rescue units to 
arrive. CPR sustained circulation in Mr. Polden's body and continued 
the flow of oxygen to his vital organs. Jerry and Bob were able to keep 
Mr. Polden alive until the rescue team arrived. This was the second 
time that Jerry had done CPR on his father. Five years previously Mr. 
Polden had gone into cardiac arrest and a friend who knew CPR had 
helped Jerry administer CPR to his father for the first time. This had 
triggered Jerry to take a CPR class so that if he was ever in a similar 
situation he would be able to help, not knowing that the next person 
would be his father.
  On behalf of all the citizens of western Wisconsin I ask that the 
U.S. House of Representatives recognize Jerry and Bob Polden for their 
courage and thank them for being concerned and giving community 
citizens.

                          ____________________