Seven first responders from Pasco County Fire Rescue (PCFR) and MedFleet received Lifesaving Awards for performing CPR on a 2-month-old child in respiratory arrest.

PCFR announced the recognition on X on Thursday, Sept. 17, describing how B-Shift teams from Ladder 9 and Rescue 9 joined a MedFleet ambulance crew already performing CPR on the infant on May 15.

The PCFR crews took over care and delivered advanced life-saving treatment, the agency said. PCFR described the response as carried out with calm, precision and outstanding clinical skill, saying it reflected the department's highest standards.

The Hernando Sun first reported on the awards earlier in the week, confirming the same incident and honorees.

Who was honored

Five PCFR members received the award: Capt. Forkum, Driver/Paramedic Leaman, Firefighter/Paramedic Fernandez, Firefighter/Paramedic Salvador and Firefighter/EMT Machado. Leaman was not pictured in the agency's award photo.

Two MedFleet paramedics were also recognized: Chris Demaria and Amber Patterson. Patterson was not pictured. MedFleet is a Florida-based healthcare company.

A busy month for recognition

The pediatric CPR award is separate from Lifesaving Awards given to six other PCFR firefighters earlier in September. Those awards recognized two different rescues: a parachutist pulled from a lake and a trench collapse rescue. Combined, the department has honored 13 members with Lifesaving Awards in September alone.

The string of recognitions comes during an active stretch for the department. PCFR firefighters also returned to Pasco County on Sept. 17 after an extended wildfire deployment in Texas, as we reported the same day.

PCFR has not released additional details about the May 15 call, including where the intercept occurred or the child's condition after transport.