[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 13072-13073]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         TRIBUTE TO GARY ARRUDA

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President I rise today to pay 
tribute to Gary Arruda of Hollis, NH for the critical assistance he 
provided with the aid of a wireless phone to save another individual's 
life. Gary, along with individuals from each state across America, the 
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, received the ``VITA Wireless 
Samaritan Award.''
  This award, which is awarded by the Cellular Telecommunications 
Industry Association (CTIA) is presented to honor the contributions 
heroic individuals make to their communities. Gary, who is an emergency 
medical technician (EMT), responded to a page to assist an injured 
mountain biker, who

[[Page 13073]]

was too deep in the woods for an ambulance to reach. The biker, who had 
been stung by bees and was having a severe allergic reaction, was 
unable to make it out of the woods on her own, Gary went in the woods 
with his four-wheel drive vehicle, emergency medical equipment and his 
wireless phone. He and two other EMTs were able to stabilize the biker 
while maintaining contact with emergency dispatch and the ambulance 
that was waiting at the edge of the woods. Gary kept both dispatchers 
and ambulance attendants apprised of the victim's condition, enabling 
them to prepare to take over the rescue as soon as he got the woman out 
of the woods.
  I commend Gary for his excellent reaction in a situation that called 
for immediate attention. He is a true hero. I am proud to represent him 
in the Senate.

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