[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 27]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 36461]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING 10 MEMBERS OF THE NORTH CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2007

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 10 members of the 
North Chicago Fire Department for going beyond the call of duty to save 
the life of a 10th district resident.
  On November 26 of this year, the fire department was dispatched to 
the scene of a gunshot victim. Once notified that the victim had 
received a gunshot wound to the face, a Flight for Life helicopter was 
immediately called. With the gunman presumed to still be in the area, 
paramedics Patrick Michael and Gerry Goniwicha went to the aid of the 
victim despite considerable risk to their lives. Patrick and Gerry 
quickly moved the injured person to the ambulance and began to clear an 
airway and stop the bleeding.
  As the paramedics worked, additional personnel were called to help 
the victim and establish a landing zone for the helicopter. Paramedics 
Joshua Rickabaugh and Joshua Monroe came to the assistance of the 
ambulance crew to help with patient care and transportation to the 
helicopter.
  At the landing zone site, Commander Keith Humphries met with 
paramedics Chris Shearer, Keith Peacy and Jason Lambert to set up a 
safe place for the helicopter to land. The firefighters successfully 
established a landing zone in very tight quarters and the patient was 
quickly transferred to the helicopter. Once in the helicopter, Flight 
for Life nurse Julie Heyer, and flight medic Stu McVicar took over 
treatment until the team reached the Level I Trauma Center at Lutheran 
General Hospital.
  This victim had a shattered jaw and severed carotid artery, with the 
bullet initially going into the heart. The victim is still in critical 
condition, but without the firefighters and medical personnel going 
into an area where a gunman could still be present, performing their 
skills flawlessly even with the extreme injuries involved, the victim 
would not have had a chance.
  On behalf of the House of Representatives, I commend Patrick Michael, 
Gerry Goniwicha, Keith Humphries, Joshua Rickabaugh, Chris Shearer, 
Keith Peacy, Jason Lambert, Joshua Monroe, flight nurse Julie Heyer, 
and flight medic Stu McVicar for their amazing actions.

                          ____________________