Paramedic’s Quick Work Saves Girl, 2

A 2-year-old girl found floating face down in a back-yard swimming pool was revived by the fast work of a Fire Department paramedic Sunday after being unconscious and not breathing for more than five minutes.

Paramedic Rick Biggs was credited with saving the life of Alyssa Sullivan, who was fully clothed, wet, not breathing and “on her way out,” when firefighters arrived, said Fire Capt. Bruce Jacobson.

“It was one of the nightmare calls where the mother is screaming out the front door for help,” said Jacobson, who was the other paramedic to arrive at the residence in the 1200 block of West Beacon Avenue shortly before 2 p.m.

The child’s hysterical mother had pulled her daughter from the pool, where she was found floating face down.

“I was getting the (resuscitation) gear ready and he (Biggs) just started right in while I was preparing the stuff,” Jacobson said. “Rick started mouth-to-mouth on the child right away.”

Jacobson said his partner was too modest to consent to an interview. But Jacobson and other Fire Department personnel were lavish in their praise for Biggs’ handling of the crisis.

In the minute and a half that it took Jacobson to prepare an airway tube to insert in the child’s throat, Biggs “had revived the patient without any medical equipment. He did it all without equipment,” Jacobson said. “He was instrumental in saving a little girl’s life today.”

The child, who then began breathing on her own, was transported to Western Medical Center and reported in serious condition.

“When we left the hospital this afternoon, the baby started crying,” Jacobson said. “When they are crying that’s really great. The doctor said she looked really good.”

Jacobson said the child’s body temperature had dropped to about 88 degrees, which may have helped revive her and minimize neurological damage.

“We go on so many of these when we’re too late,” Jacobson said. “He (Biggs) did an excellent job today. I was really proud of him.

“I’ll tell you how (emotional) it was. I was talking to the . . . nurse over the radio and we both almost started crying.”