Off-Duty Firefighters Save Man's Life During Patriots Game At Gillette Stadium
FOXBORO (CBS) – Two off-duty firefighters helped save the life of a man who had a heart attack in the middle of Saturday's Patriots game at Gillette Stadium.
Groton Fire Lt. Jim Crocker and Westford firefighter John Tuomi were in the stands when a 61-year-old man in front of them collapsed.
"We heard someone yell for help, and two rows down a gentleman looked to be unconscious," said Crocker.
The two began emergency resuscitation efforts while a security guard ran to get a defibrillator.
"We started compressions right away and pretty much everything else became white noise," Crocker said.
Tuomi said he knew Crocker's CPR efforts were working, because with every compression he felt a pulse in the man's wrist.
Conditions at the noisy stadium made it difficult to save the man, but the defibrillator did the trick.
"With a crowd of people around and music blasting it was kind of hard for us to hear what the (defibrillator) wanted us to do," said Tuomi.
Foxboro firefighters and ambulance personnel arrived to the seats and brought the man to an area hospital.
He is now at home recovering.
"It's a great feeling. We get into this job to help people," said Crocker.
"When it comes to the outcome, it's the greatest feeling in the world," said Tuomi.