In one case a man had fallen into Peltier Lake. It was early April and police say the water temperature was about 45 degrees. Somehow the man became trapped under a tree. Two bystanders jumped into action. Diane Kuznia dialed 911, while her husband Kevin was actually in the lake trying to get the man free.
“Diane’s husband Kevin Kuznia had jumped into the very cold water to help the male who was mostly submerged and partially trapped under a tree leaning into the water,” said Lino Lakes Police Chief John Swenson.
Police say Kuznia held the man’s head above water so he wouldn’t drown while they worked together to free the man’s legs from the tree. The man suffered hypothermia but he recovered.
“It is my belief that the Kuznias’ quick decision to make the 911 call and jump into action to free the male as his condition quickly deteriorated play a key role in the patient’s survival and recovery,” said Swenson.
In another case, more than a dozen first responders including police, fire, and 911 dispatchers got an award for working to save the life of a man who had suffered a heart attack. It turns out, that man is also a firefighter.
“I’m feeling good. I’m getting stronger,” said Mark Tembreull. As Mark and his wife Peg recall all the help they got when Mark suffered a very serious heart attack at home, they say saving him was a team effort.
“The Public Safety in Lino, Centennial, EMS, Allina, police and fire, Regions [hospital] they’re the ones that got me back,” said Mark Tembreull.
“It was such a traumatic thing,” said Peg. “Everyone just did their part, beautifully.”
They got a chance to say, ‘thank you’ to them at a recent Lino Lakes City Council meeting where 17 first responders were given life saving awards by Allina Health.
Peg hugged an Anoka County Dispatcher who had offered help over the phone and connected her to a medic.
“She was great dealing with the hysterical me,” said Peg. “She stayed calm she got everybody who needed to be here, here very quickly, got the medic on the other line who was able to help me perform the compressions.”
Lino Lakes Fire Lieutenant John Stalker was among the first on the scene and says the CPR was a life saving key.
“Getting that oxygen flowing to the brain quickly and efficiently is really important so dispatch did a really great job working with her and getting her that step in working through it.”
Then they discovered who their patient was. Mark Tembreull is a paid on call firefighter, based in the same Lino Lakes fire station as those who were helping him.
“His pager goes off for the same call so it’s a little bit of a unique situation,” said Stalker. “Probably the worst call a firefighter wants to get, going to another firefighter’s house for this type of incident.”
After more recovery, Mark does plan on going back to the fire station. But in another twist, it also turns out he received a life saving award himself a few years ago from Washington County for helping save the life of someone who went down. But right now Mark and Peg just want to thank all those who helped in the early hours of May 20.
“I’m really very thankful, I wouldn’t be here without it,” said Mark. “Thank you to everyone involved,” said Peg.
