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Retired firefighter saves man’s life at hardware store

Ron Savicki was restocking the shelves when someone shouted to call 911 after a loud crash

By FireRescue1 Staff

WEYMOUTH, Mass. — A retired Boston firefighter responded quickly when a customer at a hardware store went into cardiac arrest.

Retired firefighter Ron Savicki, who works part-time at Ace Hardware, was restocking the shelves when someone shouted to call 911 after a loud crash, according to the Patriot Ledger.

Savicki rushed to help Walter Chipman, who was unresponsive and not breathing. Although Savicki has been retired for a decade, he said his firefighter instinct kicked in instantly and he began doing chest compressions on Chipman.

Respond firefighters eventually took over and used an AED until paramedics arrived.

“I understand that for some people it wouldn’t be, but for me, it was just a normal reaction. The profession stays in your blood,” Savicki said. “With cardiac arrest, you’ve got to start CPR right away. That’s a big factor. The longer you wait, the less viable the person becomes.”

“I’ve talked to (Savicki). He’s a real gentleman, and once I feel strong enough, I’m going to go see him,” Chipman said.

Savicki shrugged off the attention, saying “That’s what we do here. We help people.”

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