METAIRIE, LA – A trio of East Jefferson General Hospital paramedics were recognized by the Harahan Police Department this past week after the group helped save the life of an unresponsive child this past December.
Michael Ortiz, Timothy Thames and John Eddleman were on call when they were dispatched to a Harahan home where they found the 3-year old unresponsive in a family swimming pool. Suffering from cardiac arrest, the child was resuscitated by the paramedics and transported to the hospital for treatment.
All three were honored at the latest Harahan City Council meeting on Jan. 19, where they were bestowed with the Life Saving Award from Chief of Police Tim Walker.
“I could not be more proud of our team,” Mike Guillot, EJGH EMS Director, said. “They provided excellent patient care to a child in critical need. Harahan’s recognition of their efforts reflects our department’s and hospital’s commitment to the community and the people we serve.”
After a stay in the hospital, the child returned home and continues to improve and is expected to make a full recovery.
East Jefferson General Hospital is a publicly-owned, not-for-profit community hospital. This service district hospital, formed in 1965, receives no tax support from Jefferson Parish. The 420-bed hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is Louisiana's first Nurse Magnet hospital.
