Above: Portsmouth Police Lt. Steven Hoetzel (middle) and Sgt. Stephen Burns (right) are congratulated by Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien at Monday’s Town Council meeting.
PORTSMOUTH — Two Portsmouth police officers were commended by the Town Council Monday night for saving the life of a man who collapsed in a field at the Glen two months ago.
On April 19, Lt. Steven Hoetzel and Sgt. Stephen Burns responded to an area of Glen Road, where they spoke to a 63-year-old Newport man who then collapsed to the ground. The man’s breathing became labored and loud and the officers requested the assistance of the Portsmouth Fire Department.
But before firefighters could arrive, the man stopped breathing and the officers sprang into action.
“Lt. Hoetzel retrieved the automated external defibrillator (AED) from the police vehicle while Sgt. Burns began CPR,” stated the council’s letters of commendation to the two officers. “The AED was administered and the gentleman started breathing on his own.”
Firefighters arrived soon afterwards and transported the man to the hospital.
The American Heart Association also recognized the two officers for their efforts in saving the man’s life in conjunction with the town being designated as a “heart safe community.”
Deputy Fire Chief Michael O’Brien congratulated the officers, whom he said were both certified in CPR as part of the heart safe community program.
“Because of their actions, that gentleman survived a heart attack. They resuscitated him,” Deputy O’Brien told the council. He added that the fire department “can’t be everywhere all of the time,” so it’s beneficial for police to be trained in basic CPR skills.
Lt. Hoetzel and Sgt. Burns both received standing ovations during the brief ceremony.