Ill. Police Officers Help Save Colleague after Heart Stops

Nov. 3, 2021

After a Galesburg police officer suffered a cardiac arrest, three of his fellow officer, along with EMTs, when he stopped breathing on the way to the hospital.

By Jane Carlson

Source The Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill.

Galesburg, IL, Police Officer Dan Williams (left) and Lt. Steffanie Cromien were two of three officers given Life-Saver awards by Mayor Peter Schwartzman on Monday.

GALESBURG, IL—Three members of the Galesburg Police Department were recognized this week for saving the life of a fellow officer who was suffering a heart attack.

At Monday's city council meeting, Mayor Peter Schwartzman gave Lt. Steffanie Cromien, Lt. Jason Shaw and Officer Dan Williams the Life Saver award for their heroic efforts in assisting Officer Chris Hootman during a cardiac event on Oct. 25.

"We had an amazing set of circumstances occur in our community in the last week or so and we want to give tribute to that," Schwartzman said.

Hootman called in sick to work that morning while experiencing chest pains, and Shaw recognized his colleague was in need of immediate medical attention.

Shaw dispatched paramedics and an officer to Hootman's home.

Responding officer Williams arrived before the ambulance and transported Hootman by squad car to OSF St. Mary Medical Center, where it was determined Hootman was in cardiac arrest.

An ambulance was then dispatched to take Hootman to OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, because it was too windy that day for a LifeFlight helicopter.

Cromien, on shift at the police station, heard what was happening and offered to drive Hootman's wife, Amanda, to Peoria.

"Stephanie is one of those people who is always caring for and doing things for others," Schwartzman said.

En route to Peoria, Cromien came across the ambulance pulled over on the side of the road.

Cromien then pulled her vehicle over and walked up to the ambulance and EMTs asked for her assistance.

"Chris' heart had stopped and he was not breathing," Schwartzman said.

Cromien then was asked to perform CPR on Hootman while the EMTs prepared IV medication and a defibrillator.

"Stephanie was yelling at Chris not to give up while she performed CPR," Schwartzman said.

The ambulance crew then shocked Hootman's heart on the side of the road, after which a heartbeat was detected.

Cromien then drove the ambulance the rest of the way to Peoria, so the crew could continue lifesaving measures.

At St. Francis, a stent was inserted in Hootman's artery to improve blood flow.

Hootman was admitted overnight to the hospital, but released the following day and is now recovering at home.

"There is little doubt that if Lt. Stephanie Cromien had not been in the right place at the right time, and not had the skills and knowledge to help out when she did, this story may have had a much more dire outcome," Schwartzman said.

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