Firefighter saves life

  • Published
  • By By 2nd Lt. Tristan Hinderliter
  • 92nd ARW Public Affairs
A fire extinguisher maintenance technician with the Fairchild Fire Department here administered CPR to a heart-attack victim at City Hall Monday morning while making a routine delivery, saving the person's life.

Michael Satola, a civilian employee at Fairchild, is also a master sergeant Reservist attached to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.

He, along with two other individuals with first aid training who happened to be in the area when the victim collapsed, administered chest compressions and shocks with an automatic external deliberator, which kept the individual alive until paramedics arrived, said Dorothy Webster, city of Spokane director of administrative services.

"He was just there dropping something off when he got called into action," said Bill Nowlin, Fairchild fire chief.

The name of the heart-attack victim has not been released, but according to Ms. Webster the individual had survived as of Wednesday afternoon. The victim was transported via ambulance to Deaconess Trauma Center in Spokane, she said.

Names of the other bystanders who helped resuscitate the victim also had not been released as of Wednesday afternoon.

The city of Spokane will be nominating Mr. Satola and his two fellow resuscitators for Hometown Hero awards, which are administered by the Inland Northwest Chapter of the American Red Cross, Ms. Webster said.

Hometown Hero awards recognize those who have shown compassion, courage, character and humanity toward others, according to the American Red Cross.

"The mayor would like to publicly thank him (Mr. Satola)," said Ms. Webster. "We would like to recognize him at a City Council meeting."

City Council meetings are held Monday nights. Ms. Webster said she did not yet know at which meeting Mr. Satola would be recognized.

As a fire extinguisher maintenance technician, Mr. Satola is responsible for servicing fire extinguishers on the flight line and in all the buildings on Fairchild, said Assistant Fire Chief Dewey Wellington.

Mr. Satola completed his CPR training while on Reserve duty, the chief said.