Naperville Fire Department to Celebrate Survivors of Sudden Cardiac Arrest at Nov. 18 Banquet
illi News/10039828

The Naperville Fire Department is excited to establish an annual celebration to recognize the successful efforts of first responders and hospital staff to implement a revised sudden cardiac arrest response protocol and, more importantly, to celebrate the lives of the survivors who have benefited from it.

The first-ever Survivors Banquet will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, November 18, at Meson Sabika in Naperville. This invitation-only event is offered at no cost to the survivors.

The celebration comes at the culmination of the first year of a two-year field study of the revised response protocol that completely changed the way Naperville Fire Department personnel provide care to a person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. The changes are based largely on the successes of the Rialto, California Fire Department and include utilizing new techniques and technologies to optimize CPR, establish an airway without stopping compressions and monitor the carbon dioxide in the patient's body, among other changes. The revised protocol was implemented in November 2018 after being approved by the Edward Hospital EMS System Medical Director and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

More on illi News

• Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson, Lawndale Christian Health Center Celebrate Grand Opening of New Family and Senior Health Center
• French Camp Academy Releases New Video Inviting Individuals to Consider a Life of Service
• LET US READ Documentary on Dyslexia and Literacy to Screen at TCL Chinese 6 in Hollywood
• Quinceañera Expo Chicago November 1, 2026, Bringing Inspiration, Fashion and Quinceañera Plan
• Defense & Space Strategy Strengthens as New Leadership Builds on NASA Results and Expanding Multi-Orbit Opportunities for Ascent Solar Technologies

"We're using science and data to better treat patients suffering from sudden cardiac arrest, and the results we're seeing are really encouraging," said Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis. "Our department's survivor and pulse return rates were already above the national average, yet this revised protocol has improved those statistics even more. We want to recognize the patients and their families as well as any dispatchers, fire department staff, emergency room staff and/or bystanders that had a hand in their positive outcome."

In 2016, the Naperville Fire Department received the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Heart Safe Community Award for an EMS system serving a community with a population over 100,000. Part of the recognition criteria was based on the fact that Naperville FD's pulse return rate of 21% and patient survival rate of 10% were above the national average. Since implementing the revised protocol one year ago, however, Naperville FD has seen those rates increase even higher to 37% of patients regaining a pulse during treatment and 18.5% of patients surviving the incident. On average, the Naperville Fire Department responds to approximately 85 sudden cardiac arrest calls each year.

More on illi News

• Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson, R2 Development Celebrate Grand Opening of The Bellwether, First Completed Office to Residential Conversion in The Loop
• Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson, DFSS Launch Disaster Relief Assistance Program for People Who Faced Financial Hardship Due to Severe Storms in 2023 and 2024
• Mayor Brandon Johnson, City Officials, and Community Leaders Outline Plans For Chicago's 2026 Mexican Independence Day Celebrations
• STS Capital Partners is pleased to announce the appointment of Barry Brown as Vice President, Business Development
• Qscription Technologies and NEOPATHOLOGY CORP. Sign MOU to Bring FDA-Cleared Lung Imaging AI into U.S. Clinical Practice

"Our goal is to increase the number of people not just surviving sudden cardiac arrest, but surviving it neurologically intact and able to walk out of the hospital on their own," said Chief Puknaitis. "The encouraging results we've seen so far are only possible because of the support of the Edward Hospital EMS System that allowed us to implement these significant changes and because of the acceptance of our staff to adopt new ways of doing things and train relentlessly."

The two-year field study of the revised sudden cardiac arrest response protocol continues until November 2020. Upon completion of the study, fire department staff will present their data and findings to the Edward Hospital EMS System in hopes of making the protocol the department's permanent course of treatment when responding incidents of sudden cardiac arrest.

---

Show All News | Disclaimer | Report Violation