FDNY Holds 21st Annual Second Chance Ceremony and Brunch

The eleven survivors of cardiac arrests with the #FDNY150 ambulance

Wednesday, May 20 the 21st annual Second Chance Ceremony was held at the FDNY Training Academy on Randall's Island. This event reunites eleven survivors of cardiac arrest with the Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), FDNY EMS Officers, Firefighters, bystanders and other first responders who helped save their lives.

"Each of the survivors we welcome for this wonderful ceremony to celebrate National EMS Week 2015 would not be with us if not for the calm, professional response that is a hallmark of FDNY EMTs, Paramedics and Firefighters," said Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. "More than 1.6 million times last year alone FDNY members responded to emergencies; bringing their life-saving training to those who needed it most."

In the 20 years that this ceremony has been held, more than 200 survivors have been reunited with the FDNY members who saved their lives. This year, the eleven survivors include two people visiting New York City on vacation, a woman attending mass in Queens, a man playing softball in Brooklyn and an FDNY Fire Alarm Dispatcher who was dispatching FDNY units to emergencies in Brooklyn.

Cardiac arrest survivor Brittany Williams thanks one of the responding EMS members

"I love New York City, it is the city that saved my life," said Brittany Williams, who experienced cardiac arrest in a restaurant while vacationing with her parents in Manhattan. She was aided by two bystanders on-scene, before Firefighters from Engine Company 23, Paramedics and EMTs from Mt. Sinai and a Lieutenant from Station 10 arrived minutes later.

Another survivor at the ceremony was Gabriel Hernandez who collapsed while standing on the street in the Bronx. Onlookers flagged-down an FDNY ambulance passing nearby, which was being driven by a newly graduated EMT - Fernando Frias. EMT Frias who was off-duty and returning the ambulance to his station alone, began CPR on Mr. Hernandez. He was soon joined in his efforts by Firefighters from Engine Company 68, Paramedics from Station 14, an officer from Station 17, and EMTs from Bronx Lebanon Hospital. Together, they were able to restore Mr. Hernandez's pulse and breathing.

"At any moment, the call comes in that there’s a patient in cardiac arrest - and that’s the most critical medical call we receive," said Chief of Department James E. Leonard. "And we will do everything we can to save that person."

Five of the survivors received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from bystanders before on-duty FDNY members arrived. Immediate CPR, coupled with defibrillation within the first few minutes after sudden cardiac arrest, can greatly increase a victim’s chance of survival. This year, thanks to support from the FDNY Foundation, the FDNY Mobile CPR Training Unit trained its 100,000th person to perform bystander CPR.

For more information about learning bystander CPR for free from the FDNY Mobile CPR Training Unit, call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/fdny/cpr

See the program from the event here.
See more photos from the event here.