The Los Angels County Fire Department honored three good samaritans Thursday night at Fire Station 89 for their efforts in saving the life of an Agoura Hills man.
On June 11, Jeff Galen, 55, suffered cardiac arrest while driving in his neighborhood, resulting in a low impact collision with a parked car.
Registered nurses, Kelly Masdick and Julie Lawson, along with Lawson's son, Chance, witnessed the accident and ran to Galen's aid, administering CPR until paramedics arrived.
"He was blue," said Masdick. "There was no pulse."
When paramedics arrived, they used a defibrillator to revive Galen and took him to Los Robles Hospital where he made a full recovery.
During the informal ceremony, Capt. Malcolm Dicks recounted the events of that summer evening and highlighted the neighbors' life-saving techniques.
"Without you, this gentleman would not be here today," he said to the group. "It took us six minutes [to get there] and in that six minutes, you saved his life."
Anthony Whittle, assistant chief, thanked the civilians as well as internal and external personnel from Squad 89, Engine 125 and McCormick Ambulance service.
Whittle read a letter from Galen, who could not attend in person but listened in via cell phone.
"I am forever grateful for all those who came to my aid and gave me a second chance at life," Galen wrote.
Certificates were presented to the residents and department personnel.
"I'm so honored," Lawson told Patch. "I'm very blessed to have been able to do this for a fellow human being."
The program kicks off what is to be a quarterly event presented by LAFD.
"We want to bring awareness to the importance of learning CPR," said Maria Grycan, LAFD spokesperson.
Department personnel hold Sidewalk CPR classes throughout the year and will have a booth at this year's Reyes Adobe Days.
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