Mentor Patrolmen Recognized For Saving Lives

Five officers from the received Life Saving Awards from the Lake County Police Chiefs Association luncheon Wednesday.

Patrolmen William Kuret and Richard Gerber saved the life of a woman who had overdosed on heroin Dec. 2, according to their nomination from Mentor Police Chief Daniel Llewellyn.

Kuret and Gerber responded to a call which reported a woman had passed out in her car near the intersection of Plaza and Mentor Avenue.

Kuret was there in fewer than 2 minutes and found the woman was not breathing and turning blue. He pulled her from the car and began giving chest compressions.

Gerber arrived shortly thereafter and grabbed a CPR mask and used it to give oxygen to the young woman. They continued administering CPR until the arrived and administered a drug that eventually revived her. Heroin was found in the car.

The young woman has since made a full recovery, Llewellyn said.

Meanwhile, Patrolmen Jonathan Smelcer, Matthew Alvord and Michael Bruening used a defibrillator and CPR to save a man's life Dec. 26 at .

Smelcer and Alvord were the first to arrive at the dealership. They took over for a woman who had started CPR.

Alvord used an , which indicated that there was no heartbeat. So Smelcer and Alvord administered one shock.

Bruening then arrived and began using a bag valve mask to provide oxygen to the man as they continued CPR.

The Mentor Fire Department arrived and used the AED to administer a second shock which was successful in restarting the man’s heartbeat. The man was then transported to the hospital.