Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Barrington Fire Chief Jim Aire and Barrington School District 220 Superintendent Brian Harris remember the time a teacher collapsed at Barrington High School and the instructor’s colleagues, the school nurse, and fire department paramedics all had a role in saving a life.
The Illinois Department of Public Health gave the fire department the Ron W. Lee, MD — Excellence in Pediatric Care Award in community service May 21 during a Board of Education meeting.
Dr. Charles Nozicka, a physician at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge who presented the award, said the department has a strong commitment to children. Not only has the department worked with students, teachers, and staff during fire and active shooter drills, it has conducted special training for faculty and other workers in the event they need to help in those situations. Members of the Barrington Fire Department taught over 500 teachers and staff how to provide emergency first aid bleeding control.
Preparation is also part of the effort as it was when the collapsed teacher’s life was saved. There are AEDs in every school in the district. The nurses and teachers know how to use them, as well as how to administer CPR. Along with training teachers and staff, the department works with students on what to do during an evacuation drill – whether for fire or something else.
The award is named for Lee, who was the emergency department medical director at Loyola University Medical Center. Lee worked with the IDPH more than 20 years ago to help obtain federal grants for emergency medical services for children.
