Trending...
- Coachella 2025: KAYAK Data shows surge for Palm Springs & L.A
- Munger Construction Earns Triple Win in 2025 Varco Pruden Hall of Fame Awards
- National Waste Launches 20-Foot Dumpster Rentals for Residential and Commercial Projects
ORANGE, Conn. - Hartok -- Tom Bartiss has responded to more than his share of emergency calls as a member of the Orange and West Haven fire departments, but emergencies were the furthest thing from his mind as he and his wife relaxed in Mexico. But when he saw a boy in trouble by the resort swimming pool, there was no hesitation.
"When you're trained, you're trained," he said, recounting the story.
Bartiss, an active firefighter and chaplain of the Orange Volunteer Fire Department, was on vacation with his wife, Ann, at a resort outside of Cancun, Mexico. The pair was enjoying dinner when Ann noticed "a commotion" outside by the pool.
"My wife said there's little feet out there and they're working on him," recalled Bartiss. That's when instinct kicked in and Bartiss dashed to the child's side. Another bystander had just started CPR.
"I said you do compressions and I'll get the breaths in," he recalled. "I kept looking at his eyes. They were almost normal. I said we've got a chance."
Bartiss said he and the women did CPR on the child for about 20 minutes. At times, the child seemed to moan, but there was no pulse. They continued compressions and rescue breathing.
More on hartok.com
Finally, a doctor and a pediatric ambulance arrived. An automatic external defibrillator indicated no shock needed. The doctor and other emergency personnel began administering medications to the child. Finally, the AED indicated it was time to shock the child. After two shocks, the team found a pulse.
"He started coming around," Bartiss said. The child was coughing, but not coughing up water. The ambulance whisked the child away to a pediatric hospital in Cancun. Bartiss noted that the city has very modern medical and emergency medical facilities.
Three days later, the child was back at the resort.
Like most first-responder experiences, this was nothing like what TV programs show. There was no dramatic music, just two strangers desperately working as a team. And there have been no medals, no joyous reunions. Other than a quick thank you from the resort, there was no recognition from anyone. But that's not what's important to Bartiss. After the firefighter's instincts were no longer needed, the chaplain's instincts kicked in.
"If that woman wasn't there and started CPR before I did, I don't think he would have made it," said Bartiss. "I was just in the right place at the right time. I'm so grateful I was there. I hope I gave the kid a long, good life. God definitely has a plan."
More on hartok.com
An Orange firefighter for about eight years, Bartiss was a career firefighter in West Haven for about 28 years, retiring as a captain. After training to become an Episcopal deacon, Bartiss worked as a chaplain at Griffin Hospital in Derby for eight years.
"Tom is a great firefighter and a wonderful part of the Orange Fire Department (https://www.orangevfd.org) (https://www.orangevfd.org/)," said Fire Chief Vaughan Dumas. "Whether he's working at the scene of an emergency or talking quietly with a firefighter about something they've seen or something going on in their lives, Tom always applies all his skill, talent and compassion. We're very proud of what Tom did in Mexico. We're not surprised, though, because he is the consummate firefighter."
"When you're trained, you're trained," he said, recounting the story.
Bartiss, an active firefighter and chaplain of the Orange Volunteer Fire Department, was on vacation with his wife, Ann, at a resort outside of Cancun, Mexico. The pair was enjoying dinner when Ann noticed "a commotion" outside by the pool.
"My wife said there's little feet out there and they're working on him," recalled Bartiss. That's when instinct kicked in and Bartiss dashed to the child's side. Another bystander had just started CPR.
"I said you do compressions and I'll get the breaths in," he recalled. "I kept looking at his eyes. They were almost normal. I said we've got a chance."
Bartiss said he and the women did CPR on the child for about 20 minutes. At times, the child seemed to moan, but there was no pulse. They continued compressions and rescue breathing.
More on hartok.com
- ACES Gallery's online Spring Estates Auction on Sunday, April 27th at 1pm Eastern time is packed with over 500 quality lots
- HamletHub's Ira Joe Fisher Wins First Place in Connecticut Press Club Awards for Poetry Series
- Rare, significant photographic image of Abraham Lincoln will headline University Archives' online-only auction, April 23rd
- SunJoy Books Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Fund The Imagi Nation - A Dramatized Audiobook Experience
- Sue Barrasi: Prismatic Spring Art Exhibit at the Geary Gallery in Darien CT
Finally, a doctor and a pediatric ambulance arrived. An automatic external defibrillator indicated no shock needed. The doctor and other emergency personnel began administering medications to the child. Finally, the AED indicated it was time to shock the child. After two shocks, the team found a pulse.
"He started coming around," Bartiss said. The child was coughing, but not coughing up water. The ambulance whisked the child away to a pediatric hospital in Cancun. Bartiss noted that the city has very modern medical and emergency medical facilities.
Three days later, the child was back at the resort.
Like most first-responder experiences, this was nothing like what TV programs show. There was no dramatic music, just two strangers desperately working as a team. And there have been no medals, no joyous reunions. Other than a quick thank you from the resort, there was no recognition from anyone. But that's not what's important to Bartiss. After the firefighter's instincts were no longer needed, the chaplain's instincts kicked in.
"If that woman wasn't there and started CPR before I did, I don't think he would have made it," said Bartiss. "I was just in the right place at the right time. I'm so grateful I was there. I hope I gave the kid a long, good life. God definitely has a plan."
More on hartok.com
- Ives Bank Rated 5-Stars for 9 Consecutive Quarters
- Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center Hosts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Pulmonary Ventilator Unit
- Ives Bank Offers Assistance to Homebuyers through FHLBank Boston Programs
- Professor Robert Bird Releases New Book on Legal Knowledge as a Source of Competitive Advantage
- Justin Calabrese, Connecticut Entrepreneur & Author Publishes Business Management Book
An Orange firefighter for about eight years, Bartiss was a career firefighter in West Haven for about 28 years, retiring as a captain. After training to become an Episcopal deacon, Bartiss worked as a chaplain at Griffin Hospital in Derby for eight years.
"Tom is a great firefighter and a wonderful part of the Orange Fire Department (https://www.orangevfd.org) (https://www.orangevfd.org/)," said Fire Chief Vaughan Dumas. "Whether he's working at the scene of an emergency or talking quietly with a firefighter about something they've seen or something going on in their lives, Tom always applies all his skill, talent and compassion. We're very proud of what Tom did in Mexico. We're not surprised, though, because he is the consummate firefighter."
Source: Orange (CT) Volunteer Fire Department
0 Comments