Bristol Fire and Rescue personnel lauded for saving heart attack patient

Members of the Bristol Fire and Rescue crew that were on the call that saved the life of Brian Mickelson pose with Dr. Ben Feinzimer (center left) and Mickelson (center right).

Members of the Bristol Fire and Rescue crew that were on the call that saved the life of Brian Mickelson pose with Dr. Ben Feinzimer (center left) and Mickelson (center right).

Bristol Fire and Rescue personnel were lauded for saving the life of a Kenosha man on Christmas Eve 2013 in a ceremony at Monday’s Bristol Village Board meeting.

Dr. Ben Feinzimer, Kenosha County EMS medical director, praised the Bristol personnel for saving the life of Brian Mickelson.

“This past Christmas Eve marked an event that, against the odds, helped reunite a husband and his wife, a son with his parents, a brother with his siblings, an uncle with his nieces and nephews and a father with his daughter. Thanks to the quick actions of family members and ultimately the life-saving treatment rendered by the crew of our Bristol Fire/Rescue service, we can stand here today in celebration rather than in mourning.”

Recognized were: Firefighter/EMT Steve Bohr, Firefigher/IV Tech Meghan Keefer, Firefighter/Paramedic Eileen Grimm, Firefighter/Paramedic Shawn Ballenger, Firefighter/Paramedic Jessica Hansche, Battalion Chief Dell Francis and Battalion Chief Mike Keller.

Mickelson said after the ceremony that he was at his brother’s home in Bristol for a family holiday celebration when he had the cardiac arrest. He woke up in a Kenosha hospital a couple of days later unaware of what had happened and figuring he might have had a diabetic reaction.

All considered, Mickelson said he is feeling pretty good.

“I am walking, talking feeling great,” Mickelson said. He and his doctors are talking about his returning to work at a home improvement store in a couple of weeks.

Mickelson spent quite a while talking over the day’s events and thanking members of the crew that saved his life.

“I am so grateful for them,” Mickelson said. “For everything, for anything, they did.”

Here is some video of comments by Bristol Chief Peter Parker:

A reception was held after the unusually short Village Board meeting. And then with a good portion of the fire department present for the celebration, Bristol Fire and Rescue was toned out for a garage fire.

Brian Mickelson talks with some of the crew that helped save his life on Dec. 24, 2013.

Brian Mickelson (left in Packer hat) talks with some of the crew that helped save his life on Dec. 24, 2013.

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2 Comments

  1. Bernard Punsley says:

    Congratulations to the Bristol Fire & Rescue firefigher/paramedics for an outstanding job! Well done troops. Bristol realized a LONNNNNNNNGGGGGG time ago that fully trained & equipped cross-trained firefighter/paramedics responding quickly to an emergency is the most efficient way to provide effective services to their citizens. And the village supported that concept through the budget process. Citizens of Silver Lake should take note….if that same medical “event” happened in your village, you’d get a ride to the Walgreen’s store in Paddock Lake! Thankfully, it appears the Silver Lake Village Board has finally realized the need to address their Fire/EMS issues, and appear ready to adopt the upgrade to Salem Fire & Rescue. That should leave more room for customers to park their vehicles at Walgreens.

  2. Samantha Mickelson says:

    I would just like to say thank you to everyone who helped saved my uncle’s life. Without any of you, he might not be here. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

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