HR1556LRB096 24594 GRL 44425 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, On June 11, 2010, the City of Chicago held a
3Victory Parade and Championship Rally in downtown Chicago for
4the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Philadelphia Flyers to
5become the 2010 National Hockey League Champions and winners of
6the Stanley Cup; and
 
7    WHEREAS, On that date, approximately 2 million hockey fans
8flooded Chicago's downtown area to applaud the Chicago
9Blackhawks as the team's players, coaches, and family members
10marched from the United Center onto Michigan Avenue; the
11enthusiastic crowd roared with approval when, for the first
12time in nearly 50 years, the Stanley Cup was hoisted high in
13the air for all Chicagoans to see; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The spectacular victory celebration took place on
15an unseasonably hot and humid day; by day's end, the Chicago
16Fire Department had answered approximately 180 calls for
17service in the downtown area, mostly for heat-related issues;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Anticipating the many operational difficulties
20that might arise if a person succumbed to illness at an event
21of this magnitude, the Chicago Fire Department relied heavily
22on the well-tested ability of its Paramedic Bicycle Team to

 

 

HR1556- 2 -LRB096 24594 GRL 44425 r

1maneuver quickly through a large crowd to assist those in need
2of emergency medical care until an ambulance arrived on the
3scene to transport the sick person to a nearby hospital; and
 
4    WHEREAS, At approximately 11 A.M. on the day of the Victory
5Parade and Championship Rally, Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin
6and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman of the Chicago Fire
7Department's Bicycle Team Number 1 received a call on their
8portable radio notifying them that a person on the east side of
9Michigan Avenue near Madison Avenue appeared to be having a
10heart attack; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In less than one minute, Bicycle Team Number 1
12arrived on the scene, where Paramedic-in-Charge Kaelin and
13Firefighter/Paramedic Rottman found a man sitting on a bench;
14weak and lethargic, the man was having extreme difficulty
15breathing; moments later, the man was completely unresponsive
16and had no palpable pulse; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Paramedic-in-Charge Kaelin and
18Firefighter/Paramedic Rottman immediately placed an automated
19external defibrillator on the man to check their patient's
20heart rhythm; the AED indicated that the man had an abnormally
21slow heart rhythm and that no shock treatment should be
22administered; and
 

 

 

HR1556- 3 -LRB096 24594 GRL 44425 r

1    WHEREAS, Armed with this information, Paramedic-in-Charge
2Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Rottman ventilated their
3patient using a bag valve mask; within 4 minutes, the man's
4breathing and pulse were restored; shortly afterwards, he was
5transported by ambulance to an area hospital; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Due to the quick and astute action taken by
7Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic
8Timothy Rottman, their patient recovered and was eventually
9discharged from the hospital; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Meticulous preparation by a multitude of city
11departments working seamlessly together to ensure the public
12safety is required every time the City of Chicago hosts a
13large-scale event; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The concerted efforts of Paramedic-in-Charge Riki
15Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman to keep
16people safe from harm contributed immeasurably to the success
17of the Blackhawks' Victory Parade and Championship Rally;
18therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
20NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
21applaud and thank Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and
22Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman of the Chicago Fire

 

 

HR1556- 4 -LRB096 24594 GRL 44425 r

1Department for their professionalism, dedication, and decisive
2action on behalf of the citizens of Chicago and wish them
3continued success and happiness in the future; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
6presented to Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and
7Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman of the Chicago Fire
8Department as a symbol of our respect and esteem.