05/11/2026
We are proud to see Mercy College alums making a life-saving difference in our community! 👏
Four Newton Fire Department personnel have been honored with the Life Saving Award after reviving a patient who went into cardiac arrest during a call last August.
Captain Ryan Volk, Paramedic Trent Baker, Paramedic Andrew Reed, and EMT Camden Winther responded to a patient experiencing difficulty breathing. Shortly after crews arrived, the patient went into cardiac arrest. The team began CPR immediately, secured the airway, and provided advanced life support. Over more than 20 minutes, the patient lost pulses multiple times, and the crew continued resuscitation efforts throughout.
Their persistence paid off. The patient achieved return of spontaneous circulation, the heart began beating on its own, and the patient started breathing independently. Care was transferred to a helicopter crew for transport to a Des Moines area hospital. The patient was later discharged and returned home.
The American Heart Association estimates that only about 25 to 30 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients regain a pulse, and roughly 10 percent survive to hospital discharge. The actions of these four crew members placed this patient in that small percentage. The photo features Fire Chief Wellik, EMT Winther, Paramedic Baker and Captain Volk (Paramedic Reed is on a new shift).
