HR1556 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1556 LRB096 24594 GRL 44425 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On June 11, 2010, the City of Chicago held a Victory Parade and Championship Rally in downtown Chicago for the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Philadelphia Flyers to become the 2010 National Hockey League Champions and winners of the Stanley Cup; and

WHEREAS, On that date, approximately 2 million hockey fans flooded Chicago's downtown area to applaud the Chicago Blackhawks as the team's players, coaches, and family members marched from the United Center onto Michigan Avenue; the enthusiastic crowd roared with approval when, for the first time in nearly 50 years, the Stanley Cup was hoisted high in the air for all Chicagoans to see; and

WHEREAS, The spectacular victory celebration took place on an unseasonably hot and humid day; by day's end, the Chicago Fire Department had answered approximately 180 calls for service in the downtown area, mostly for heat-related issues; and

WHEREAS, Anticipating the many operational difficulties that might arise if a person succumbed to illness at an event of this magnitude, the Chicago Fire Department relied heavily on the well-tested ability of its Paramedic Bicycle Team to maneuver quickly through a large crowd to assist those in need of emergency medical care until an ambulance arrived on the scene to transport the sick person to a nearby hospital; and

WHEREAS, At approximately 11 A.M. on the day of the Victory Parade and Championship Rally, Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman of the Chicago Fire Department's Bicycle Team Number 1 received a call on their portable radio notifying them that a person on the east side of Michigan Avenue near Madison Avenue appeared to be having a heart attack; and

WHEREAS, In less than one minute, Bicycle Team Number 1 arrived on the scene, where Paramedic-in-Charge Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Rottman found a man sitting on a bench; weak and lethargic, the man was having extreme difficulty breathing; moments later, the man was completely unresponsive and had no palpable pulse; and

WHEREAS, Paramedic-in-Charge Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Rottman immediately placed an automated external defibrillator on the man to check their patient's heart rhythm; the AED indicated that the man had an abnormally slow heart rhythm and that no shock treatment should be administered; and

WHEREAS, Armed with this information, Paramedic-in-Charge Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Rottman ventilated their patient using a bag valve mask; within 4 minutes, the man's breathing and pulse were restored; shortly afterwards, he was transported by ambulance to an area hospital; and

WHEREAS, Due to the quick and astute action taken by Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman, their patient recovered and was eventually discharged from the hospital; and

WHEREAS, Meticulous preparation by a multitude of city departments working seamlessly together to ensure the public safety is required every time the City of Chicago hosts a large-scale event; and

WHEREAS, The concerted efforts of Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman to keep people safe from harm contributed immeasurably to the success of the Blackhawks' Victory Parade and Championship Rally; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we applaud and thank Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman of the Chicago Fire Department for their professionalism, dedication, and decisive action on behalf of the citizens of Chicago and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Paramedic-in-Charge Riki Kaelin and Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Rottman of the Chicago Fire Department as a symbol of our respect and esteem.