HAGERSTOWN – Last October, Thomas Mellott was working alongside his best friend Alvin Shives in Needmore when a sudden chest pain struck, and he collapsed into cardiac arrest.
Shives reacted immediately, calling 911 and performing CPR for 12 long minutes to keep Mellott alive until help arrived.
Soon, Deputy Chief Bradley Carbaugh and the Needmore Volunteer Fire Company team rushed to the scene, attaching an automated external defibrillator to Mellott’s chest as LifeNet Air Medical prepared him for helicopter transport.
Washington County responders joined the effort with seamless precision. EMS Supervisor Captain Lauren Hopkins led Ambulance 591’s EMTs Mary Barnhart and Alex Seburn, alongside Paramedic 491’s Paramedic Kaitlyn Cline and EMT Robert Myerly in stabilizing Mellott before LifeNet 8-1 airlifted him to Meritus Medical Center for emergency cardiac catheterization.
Later, at Hershey Medical Center, doctors implanted an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in his chest. Now fully recovered, Mellott attended the Life Savers Award ceremony to personally thank the team that saved his life.
The Life Savers Award, presented by Washington County’s Division of Emergency Services, celebrates the courage, skill and teamwork of local first responders who excel in reviving cardiac arrest patients.
“This incident showcases the outstanding collaboration between our neighboring counties and emergency medical teams,” said Casey McKnight, EMS supervisor for DES. “From Mr. Shives’ immediate CPR to the paramedics’ and air medical team’s expert intervention, every step gave Mr. Mellott the best chance at survival. This is why we train relentlessly.”
The ceremony also highlighted other 2024 heroics, cases in which EMTs used advanced defibrillation and persistent CPR to pull patients back from the brink of death.
Ron W. Brown, an account executive with LifeNet 8-1 and former flight paramedic, praised the recipients, emphasizing the pivotal role of first responders.
“From the 911 call to hospital treatment, it’s a complete system, a team effort,” Brown said. “EMTs provide critical initial care and make split-second decisions, whether to transport by ambulance or call for an airlift. They’re the foundation of patient outcomes.”
While the awards honor exceptional dedication, Brown noted that countless responders perform equally vital work daily without recognition. “We deeply appreciate when they’re celebrated,” he added.
