Westchester Emergency workers honored at EMS Appreciation Day

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Well, some good news and press for EMS. Congrats to all, great work! There are several active EMTBravo members and friends of mine on this list as well, which I'm very proud of!

Emergency workers honored at EMS Appreciation Day

By MELANIE PLENDA

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original Publication: August 31, 2007)

RYE - A year ago yesterday, Ed Dibuono of Harrison suffered a massive heart attack in his living room.

"Today's my birthday - my one-year birthday," Dibuono, 49, said last night. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the EMTs. They saved my life."

It took six jolts from a defibrillator by Harrison emergency medical technicians to bring him back from the brink.

The EMTs - Joe Bilotto, David Cox, Kasey King and Will Pendleton - were among the emergency workers and police honored at this year's EMS Appreciation Day. The event, held at Playland Amusement Park in Rye, was hosted by the Westchester Regional EMS Council and was designed to honor men and women who made the difference between someone living and dying, said Daniel Blum, council chairman.

"That means 10 percent of the calls we get, the person on the other end could very well die," Blum said. "That may not seem like a lot. But I'll tell you, it's incredibly meaningful to that 10 percent who reached out for help and their lives were saved."

The EMS council gives the awards yearly to those police and emergency workers whose efforts likely saved lives, as verified by local doctors.

The four for Harrison were just such EMTs.

Dibuono said he had not been feeling well on Aug. 30, 2006. Though he had already had two heart-related "incidents," he said with a chuckle, he thought the problem was heartburn and bought some over-the-counter remedies. They didn't work, and the chest pain intensified.

"I pulled into my driveway, and I didn't even turn off the car," he said. "The pain was really bad and I was sweating, and I ran into my living room to stand in front of the air conditioner. I got on my cell phone and called the police, because I know most of the police. And I said I wasn't feeling good. They told me later the next thing they heard was the phone hitting the floor."

The police arrived first and had a portable defibrillator, Bilotto said, but were on the phone with the EMTs.

"I could hear over the phone the buzzing from the machine and the officer said, 'I'm going to shock him! I'm going to shock him!'" Bilotto said.

At this point, Dibuono was unconscious. But the shock brought him around.

"I looked up and I saw the officer, and it was my friend Frank," Dibuono said. "And I said, 'Frank! What the ... are you doing here?' I didn't know what had happened at that point."

Meanwhile, the emergency workers grabbed their gear and headed to Dibuono's house.

"I know Eddie," Bilotto said. "So (Cox) and I heard it on the radio and headed over because we know him. It's the hard part about living where you work. You end up knowing everyone, and working on people that are your friends. ... You just can't think about it. You have a job to do, and you think about who the person is after."

When they arrived they saw Dibuono on all fours on his floor. He was conscious, and he had been shocked.

"In my 14 years on the job," Pendleton said, "I've never seen anyone wake up like that. It usually takes awhile. ... It's kind of like the brain is a computer, and when it is deprived of oxygen, it needs time to reboot once you get it started again."

But as quickly as Dibuono awoke, he was out again. So EMTs went to work hooking up IVs, administering medication and shocking Dibuono again.

"This time when I woke up, I saw my cousin who's a police officer standing behind everyone," Dibuono said. "This is a guy who never, I mean never, shows a hint of emotion. And when I looked at him, he looked like he was going to cry. That's when I knew I was in trouble.

"All I wanted to do was say something to make these guys laugh - something to make them not worry. That's all I was really thinking about. I didn't want them to worry about me, because their worry was what was making me scared."

Out he went again, and again. But he kept coming back.

"We shocked him six times," Pendleton said. "Let's just say he's got a strong constitution."

Once at the hospital, it took two operations to get Dibuono back on his feet. He said at one point his doctors told his wife to notify his family because they thought he wouldn't make it. But he did.

"(Dibuono's doctors) said that if it wasn't for what they did, there would be no way I could've lived through this," Dibuono said. "I was dead. I still can't believe it. I was dead, and they brought me back. ... I had never seen Mount Rushmore. I went and did it last year. I went to bike week in Sturgis (S.D.) with my wife. ... I've spent time with my family, my cousins. I got to do all the things I never had the chance or time to do before. I can't say thank you enough. I got a free year because of them. I'm thinking of not paying my taxes, since I wasn't supposed to still be here."

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the EMTs. They saved my life," said Ed Dibuono, center, of Harrison. Harrison paramedics Will Pendleton, left, and Joe Bilotto were part of a team that saved Dibuono's life one year ago yesterday when he suffered a massive heart attack. Pendleton and Bilotto were among emergency responders honored yesterday at the annual EMS Appreciation Day at Playland Amusement Park in Rye.

Award winners

Unit Citations

- Mount Pleasant EMS Inc.

- New Rochelle Fire Department

- Westchester County - DES Emergency Communications Center

Meritorious Service

- North Salem VAC:

Robert Wasp

- Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook EMS:

James Fenton, Raul Pimentel

- Yonkers Police Department, Emergency Services Unit: Anthony Alaimo, Chris Balezentis, Christopher Barca, Steve Bonafacio, Christopher Kowatch, Joseph Mahoney, David Macdonald, Michael Messar, Sgt. Kallis Nassar, Kieran O'Leary, Piero Olcese,

John Sikoryak, John Twomey, Mario Vecciarello

- Yonkers Fire Department: David Roberts

EMS Citation

- Croton Falls Fire Department:

Jason Blauvelt, John Blauvelt

- Eastchester Police Department: Jeff Hunter, Michael Mignone, John Rogliano

- Eastchester VAC: Kevin O'Donnell

- Empress EMS: Elvin Delgado

Anna Nunez, Brian Stevens

- Harrison EMS: David Cox,

Kasey King, Shawn Lyon, Mike Sanjurjo

- Harrison Police Department:

Roxanne Drew, Joseph Parillo

- Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook EMS: Gary Alexander, German Barbosa, Kevin Bunch, Kerri Conrad, Arron Rodriquez, Robert Schinkel, Dave West

- Port Chester Police Department: Paul Dimegllio

- Transcare: Dennis Lunde

- Valhalla VAC: Patrick Durante

Debra Maselli, Michael Sicaranzo

- Yonkers Police Department:

Michael Buono, Lawrence Mesler

Lifesaving

- Eastchester VAC: Anthony Gaudio, Nick Louros, Catrin Svensson

- Empress EMS: Alexandre Ancheta, Laura Brooks, Carol Cordero, Marcelo Cutonilli, Elvin Delgado, Daniel Hack, Michael Jefferies, April Knies, Anthony Mercado, Caridad Morales, Nicholas Ranalli, Edward Steinkraus, Gustavo Torres, Matthew Tuttle, Aimee Vasquez

- Harrison Police Department:

Edward Detlefs, Frank Morbito

- Harrison EMS: Joseph Bilotto,

John Cannelli, Walter Pendleton, Stephen Petrellese, George Varbero

- Heritage Hills Security: Dave Longo, Chuck Flickinger

- Ossining VAC: Adam Hamblin, Tyrone Nelson

- North Salem VAC: Kathleen McKenney, Gary Weber

- Port Chester Police Department: Arthur Dusenbury, Chris Krzeminski, Thomas Munnelly, Antonio Rivera

- Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook, EMS: German Barbosa, Dave Bergman, Bill Gorbut, Tara O'Shaughnessy, Mike Paniccia, Matthew Parker, Raul Pimentel, Thomas Russo

- Rye Police Department: Edward Balls, Christine Incalcatera, Mike Kenny, Amy Spillane

- Somers Fire Department: Steve Pilla

- TransCare: Jason Barcoff, Emily Prezzano, Elizabeth Sanger

- Valhalla VAC: Susan Briggs, Jeff Brogan, Cori Donovan

- Westchester EMS: Jason Barger, Kristine Bowers

- Yonkers Police Department Emergency Services Unit: Dennis Borrelli, Edward Pollick

- Civilians: Diane Murphy, Kurt Tegtmeier, Dr. Lisa Youkeles

[GAW6 66]

Congratulations to all!

[DOC22 1]

Congrats, everyone!

[NYMedic37 22]

Great article......This is the kind of public relations that E.M.S. needs to let the public be aware of our value to the community. Good job and congrats to all.

Paul Aiello

[JM15 386]

Congrats to all recipients

[Guest]

ems doesn't get too much recognition, so this positive publicity should not be taken for granted!

Congrats to all!!

[RescueKujo 130]

Way to go guys! Congratulations!

[trauma74 111]

Congrats to all!!!! Everyone should be very proud of themselves for their efforts!!!!

[Remember585 815]

Where's Croton Hills?!

[HFD750 6]

Congratulations to all... A special thank you to the men and women of Harrison EMS for giving my cousin Eddie another shot at life...

[RWC130 594]

Yonkers Police Department, Emergency Services Unit: Michael Messar

I think I know that guy!

CONGRATS TO ALL!!!!

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Wow.....LOTS of names from the past...very cool.....

Raul PIMPental.......sweet.