Local life savers honored

• Julia Werk

Echo Press photo by Celeste Beam First Responders, Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies and North Ambulance personnel were honored by Take Heart Minnesota at last week’s Douglas County Board meeting for their role in helping to save the life of Julia Werk (second from left). Werk’s husband, Norman (left), was also honored for his role in helping to save his wife.
• Ruth Nodsle

Contributed photo Roy and Ruth Nodsle.

Talk about it

Last week’s Douglas County Board meeting got a bit emotional for two Douglas County women.

The people who helped save their lives after suffering sudden cardiac arrest were honored by Take Heart St. Cloud/Take Heart Minnesota, a sudden cardiac arrest survival initiative.

Julia Werk and Ruth Nodsle got a chance to meet, thank and hug the family members, first responders, law enforcement officers and ambulance personnel who helped to save them.

Those honored in appreciation for Werk included Norman Werk (Julia’s husband); first responders Dan Fouss, Keith Ramsay and Denny Tolifson; Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies Brent Grewe and Paul Trautman; and North Ambulance personnel Dan Rodewald and Jason Schultz.

The people honored for Nodsle included her daughter, Kelly Solum; first responders Chris Hanson and Rick Zwieg; Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies Jason Peterson and Paul Trautman; and North Ambulance personnel Aric Risbrudt and Tony Schmidt.

The women were presented with a bouquet of flowers, while the “lifesavers” were presented with a certificate of appreciation for their part in saving the women’s lives.

Douglas County Sheriff Troy Wolbersen, who was also at the meeting, noted that he was proud of his deputies and others who were involved.

“It’s nice to see they were recognized,” Wolbersen said.

About Take Heart

Each year, an estimated 325,000 Americans die from sudden cardiac arrest – more than car crashes, firearms, house fires, AIDS and breast, prostate and colorectal cancer combined.

What’s more, this top killer can strike anyone, at any age, even without warning.

Take Heart America brings doctors, nurses, paramedics, community leaders and others together in a program designed to dramatically increase the number of people who survive.

Take Heart America was founded by a network of visionaries who recognized that a coordinated, comprehensive approach to resuscitation therapies would substantially increase sudden cardiac arrest survival rates beyond the benefits achieved with individual therapies alone.

The initial results from St. Cloud and Anoka have been remarkably successful.

Dr. Keith Laurie, co-founder of Take Heart, was the one who pushed St. Cloud Hospital to get the cooling device that helps save patients. Only 27 percent of the hospitals in the United States have a cooling device.

Laurie provides the cardiac electrophysiological evaluations and implants the cardioverter defibrillators if needed.

For more information about Take Heart Minnesota, visit its website at www.takeheartminnesota.org.

Tags: local news, county board, take heart minnesota, news, nodsle, werk