Anderson Township firefighter-paramedic saved by good Samaritans

CINCINNATI (WXIX) – An Anderson Township firefighter-paramedic was saved by good Samaritans at Crunch Fitness after his workout took a dangerous turn.

Curtis Yuskewich was at his local gym when he began going into cardiac arrest.

“I was there for my normal workout,” the firefighter said. “I did some weightlifting, and I went on to the stair master, and before I knew it I blacked out.”

As a firefighter paramedic for the Anderson Township Fire Department, Yuskewich is normally tasked with saving others. But that day, his coworkers and civilians helped him.

“I fell off the stair master, and they rushed over. My face was purple, and they started doing compressions,” Yuskewich explained.

One of the people to help save the firefighter was Lilli Hastings, who happens to work in the intensive care unit at UC Medical Center.

“We did CPR until we got an AED, which we could put on him, and then we turned it on to analyze it, which told us to go ahead and shock him, which meant he was in a lethal rhythm,” Hastings said. “I’m thankful I was there. I’m thankful the other people who helped were there. It could be very intimidating and scary.”

Anderson Township EMS Batallion Chief Chris Kasperczyk says it is scary to get a call about one of their own and that this should be a lesson for the public.

“It’s important to have the community react and recognize that they need to intervene and step up and perform CPR, and if there is an AED, to use it,” Kasperczyk said.

While Yuskewich is not back to work yet, his doctor says he has no damage to his heart.

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