New Philadelphia police officer, firefighter commended for lifesaving actions

NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ A New Philadelphia police officer and a firefighter/paramedic were recently honored by Mayor Joel Day for their lifesaving efforts in two separate incidents over the past couple of months.

In both cases, the mayor praised them for their professionalism and compassion.

Officer Kyle Kelley was commended for his actions on May 24. On that day, the New Philadelphia Fire Department was called to help a man who had been cut by a saw.

"Officer Kelley arrived at the scene prior to EMS and quickly and properly applied a tourniquet and pressure to the patient's left arm, effectively controlling the large amount of bleeding that he was experiencing," the mayor said. "The patient was then transported to a Canton hospital (Mercy Hospital) trauma center by our EMS crews."

More commendations: Two New Philadelphia police officers honored for saving woman's life in February

Doctors found that that man had a laceration to an artery that could have been a life-threatening injury within two to five minutes if a tourniquet hadn't been applied immediately, Day said.

"Thanks to Officer Kelley's quick action, the patient had a good outcome and was late discharged from the hospital. Officer Kelley's professionalism and compassion are in the highest tradition of the New Philadelphia Police Department," he added.

Kelley has been an officer in New Philadelphia for 12 years.

"It's just a testament of our training," he said. "The city keeps investing into us and our training, and the chief (Tessa Pohovey) keeps investing in us and our training. It just shows it works."

He added that he has never had to deal with a medical situation of this severity before.

"Officer Kelley is an outstanding officer, and I am glad to see him recognized," Pohovey said. "He has really taken some intensive medical related training courses in the last couple years and clearly it has paid off. He is a huge asset to this department and the community."

Aiding a man in cardiac arrest

Justin Heavelyn, New Philadelphia's newest firefighter/paramedic, helped save the life of a man on July 13. That afternoon, Heavelyn and his wife, Hannah, a clinical pharmacist at Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital in Dover, were walking into Buehler's when they saw an elderly woman who appeared to be in distress near a car in the parking lot, Day said.

"Justin approached the lady to see if she needed help and discovered that her husband was sitting in the car, unresponsive," Day said. "He quickly assessed the gentleman and discovered that he was pulseless and in cardiac arrest. While Justin started CPR, Hannah called 911."

Paramedics soon arrived on the scene and delivered three defibrillations to the patient.

"Upon arrival at Union Hospital, the gentleman was sitting up and talking," the mayor said. "Without the quick thinking and skillful intervention of firefighter/paramedic Heavelyn and his wife, Hannah, the outcome to this situation could have been gravely different. Justin's professionalism and compassion are in the highest tradition of the New Philadelphia Fire Department."

Heavelyn has worked for the New Philadelphia Fire Department for nearly a year. He graduated from paramedic school three weeks ago.

"I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time," he said. "The glory shouldn't go to me. I'm a man of God. The glory should go to Him. He gave me the tools to do this."

He also thanked his wife for her help, saying it was a great team effort. Hannah was quick to talk to the wife of the patient, get the information on his medical background, make the 911 call and keep the wife calm during the situation.

"My wife did a good job of that," Heavelyn said.

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: New Philadelphia police officer, firefighter commended for lifesaving actions