Two Trinity EMS paramedics were recently reunited with a neighbor-turned-patient they revived during a 9-1-1 emergency medical call last month.
On Jan. 7, Paramedic Samantha Kuenzler arrived at PrideStar’s Trinity EMS Haverhill base for her 7 a.m. shift. It was snowing. Before going inside, Kuenzler chatted with the neighbor, Steven St. Germaine, who was clearing snow from the driveway in front of his home. Kuenzler joked that St. Germaine lived in the safest house on the street because it was so close to the Trinity base. St. Germaine laughed and agreed.
That afternoon around 5, Trinity dispatchers received an urgent call from St. Germaine’s address about an unresponsive male. Kuenzler heard the call and raced across the street, while her partner, Paramedic Bobby Thorne, brought an ambulance to the home.
They arrived to discover St. Germaine lying on the ground, motionless and without a pulse.
Kuenzler and Thorne found St. Germaine in cardiac arrest and revived him after performing critical life-saving techniques for more than 18 minutes, including manual cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation. Kuenzler and Thorne drove St. Germaine to Lawrence General Hospital, providing additional care and comfort.
St. Germaine was discharged Friday, Jan. 28, and held an emotional reunion with Kuenzler and Thorne at his home later that same day.
“Steve has a very special place in our hearts,” Kuenzler said. “This is exactly why we do this job. These outcomes are few and far between. He makes this job worth it.”
“Bobby and Samantha showed a high level of professionalism in their response, for someone we know as a neighbor and friend.” said David Daly, PrideStar founder and CEO. “We are so happy that Steve is doing well, and that this call had such a happy ending.”