Firefighters Honored for Saving Shelby Woman's Life After Heart Attack in Pool

The last thing Marilyn Niemiec remembers from the morning of Dec. 14 is the pool.

But, luckily, the Shelby Township woman has a crew of new, lifelong friends — all firefighters and paramedics from the Rochester Fire Department — to help fill in the rest of the details of the day.

Niemiec, 76, was swimming at the Older Persons' Commission in Rochester when her heart stopped beating. She was in cardiac arrest: her blood pressure dropped; she stopped breathing. 

The OPC staff started CPR and called 911 for help. The Fire Department responded to the call at 7:45 a.m. and immediately began a series of life-saving events.

"We shocked our patient eight times and on the eighth time, we were successful," said Fire Chief John Cieslik. "Within 24 minutes she was at Crittenton with improving signs of blood pressure and a heart beating.

"A tremendous amount of work was done in that 24 minutes and because of that, a life was saved."

During a Rochester City Council meeting Monday night, Cieslik praised the members of his department who responded to the call that day. He also praised city council members for funding the Advanced Life Support services that the fire department provides.

"Because of that you guys are directly responsible," Cieslik told City Council. "We wouldn't be here now if we weren't providing that service; we would have waited 15 to 20 minutes for a private ambulance to get there."

Cieslik presented the firefighters with certificates of recognition. Firefighter paramedic Chris Coe introduced Niemiec, a former Rochester resident who now lives in Shelby Township, to city officials. 

"All too often in our careers we face very sad situations," said Coe, who has been with the department for four years. "We face heartache; disappointment. A lot of times we go home at night and question our ability.

"Tonight we do not, though. We are blessed to be in the presence of the woman whose life we were able to make a difference in."

Niemiec said her prognosis is great. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here," she said.