OAK PARK
9 who saved man at fitness club honored
Eight members and a staff member of an Oak Park fitness club were recognized this week for their immediate, lifesaving response after a village man collapsed and suffered a heart attack while working out.
Richard Prescott, 59, was working out March 3 in Fitness Formula on Lake Street when he suddenly collapsed and fell off a machine.
Nearby patrons and the club manager immediately started CPR, called 911 and used an automatic external defibrillator, or AED, before paramedics arrived. Oak Park Fire Chief William Bell told the Village Board at Monday’s meeting that those actions helped save Prescott’s life.
It was the seventh time in five years a life has been saved in Oak Park thanks to an AED being used, Bell said.
The nine lifesavers — David Muzic, Amy Mozina, Max Vanmany, Joe DiCianni, Lisa Gregorich, Kristen Stafford, Dave Harrat, Chris Jaeger and club manager Jeff Long — were each given a certificate for their efforts and thanked by Prescott.
“It’s not often you get a second chance at life,” Prescott said. “A second chance at life is very special. Believe me, I know.”
— Victoria Pierce
HINSDALE
Complaint may be filed about ComEd service
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Hinsdale may file a complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission in an effort to make Commonwealth Edison improve the reliability of electric power in the village.
Trustee Cindy Williams said at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting that representatives of the village will meet with the executive director of the ICC on May 22 to gauge the chances of the village’s success before asking the Village Board to approve filing a complaint.
ComEd spokesman Joe Trost said in a statement Wednesday that ComEd implemented a two-year reliability improvement plan for Hinsdale in 2006. He said that as part of the plan, ComEd replaced 15 transformers, 2 miles of underground cable and 1.5 miles of overhead wire.
“We will continue to monitor the reliability in Hinsdale and implement additional reliability improvements as needed,” he said.
Hinsdale voters approved a referendum question in April 2007, to allow the village to opt out of the ComEd system and create its own electric utility. But voters defeated a second referendum question on Feb. 5 that would have authorized the village to buy the Hinsdale portion of ComEd’s system, by condemnation if necessary.
— Chris Martin