Investigator Cited for Reviving ‘Dead’ Man

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday commended a coroner’s investigator from Panorama City for reviving a Sylmar man who had been declared dead by paramedics.

Supervisor Michael Antonovich presented the commendation to Phillip Campbell, citing him for seeing signs of life in a man thought to be dead and reviving him.

Campbell was sent to the home of Kenneth W. Smith, 63, on May 15 after Smith was reported dead. During a routine examination, Campbell noticed a twitch in the man’s jaw. He said Smith’s jaw twitched again and the man took a breath. Campbell removed chewing tobacco from Smith’s mouth and administered first aid.

Smith was treated at Holy Cross Hospital and recovered. A Fire Department inquiry later determined that paramedics followed correct procedure in pronouncing Smith dead.