Dix Hills Fire Department Rescue Squad Crew Receives Lifesaving Award

Member of the Dix Hills Fire Department were honored recently for their lifesaving actions of a man who had gone into cardiac arrest.

Dix Hills Fire District Paramedic Ralph Oswald, who was instrumental in saving this patient’s life, died suddenly in the line of duty while assisting a patient in Hampton Bays on Monday. Oswald was a very well known and respected paramedic and instructor and worked for the Dix Hills FD for 10 years. According to Dix Hills Fire Chief Robert Fling, “EMS lost a great paramedic, and an even better person.”

Back in January, Oswald and Dix Hills Fire Department Rescue Crew received a Pre-Hospital Save Award from the Suffolk Regional Emergency Medical Services Council.

On Dec. 11, 2014, at 7:08 p.m., the Dix Hills Fire Department was activated for a rescue call reporting an unconscious male at a residence. District Paramedic on-duty Ralph Oswald arrived on the scene and notified incoming units that he had a 60-year-old unconscious male that was in cardiac arrest. The patient was at the dinner table waiting to eat when he passed out, and his wife called 911. Oswald – with the assistance of the ambulance crew from 2-8-25 consisting of Jessica Mattes, Tyler Mielko, and John Marshall – moved the patient to the floor and began CPR, while Oswald assembled the Lucas CPR device, officials said.

Shortly after the crew of ambulance 2-8-5 – consisting of EMT Matthew Stio, EMT Richard Sorrentino, Captain/Paramedic Scott DiPino, Michael Englander, Assistant Chief Tom Napolitano and EMT Megan Pereira – arrived to assist. DiPino intubated the patient, Oswald started an IV, and with the assistance of the crew administered numerous cardiac medications and shocked the patient once, officials said.

After a few minutes the patient regained a good pulse and blood pressure. The patient then received the new return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) protocol – a very cold saline/hypothermia treatment. The patient’s condition improved while being transported to Huntington Hospital, and he was discharged after several days and is doing well, according to officials.

Photo by Steve Silverman. Pictured from left to right: Chief Bill Stio, Matt Stio, Assistant Chief Tom Napolitano, Ex-Chief Richard Sorrentino, Megan Pereira, Jessica Mattes, John Marshall and Scott DiPino. Absent from photo were Mike Englander, Travis Mielko and Ralph Oswald.

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