Baltimore, MD - Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Rudy S. Chow, P.E., presented awards to two DPW workers whose rapid, skillful response is being credited with saving the life of a co-worker.   The awards were officially presented in a ceremony held earlier this week.



On December 29, 2015, Greg Schmidt and Alfonso Jenkins were at work on the grounds of DPW’s Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant, where they work on plant vehicles and equipment. They noticed that one of their co-workers was having difficulty and appeared unconscious.



Schmidt and Jenkins went over to their co-worker, assessed the situation, and immediately rendered first aid.  Schmidt began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and Jenkins administered chest compressions.  Both employees knew Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, thanks in part to DPW’s CPR training program.



Emergency responders soon arrived after a third co-worker, Dave Lawler, called 911. The medical technicians credited Schmidt and Jenkins with saving the life of their co-worker, noting that had CPR not been administered, the employee would not have survived long enough for the professionals to do their job.  Both Schmidt and Jenkins admitted that the situation was tense and time seemed to drag.  First responders arriving on the scene had to use electric shock at least 9 times to revive their co-worker.  He was out for 20 minutes but miraculously suffered no brain damage.  Schmidt says it was all “worth the effort.”



In presenting awards to Schmidt and Jenkins, Director Chow noted, “At DPW we know that CPR saves lives and that is why we offer CPR in our monthly training program for workers.”  Both employees took CPR training during their time with DPW; Schmidt just completed the training in September.  Moreover, Jenkins and Schmidt were praised for the level-headed response, quick thinking, and the teamwork they used in what was a demanding and stressful situation for everyone that day.



Baltimore City Labor Commissioner Deborah F. Moore-Carter also recognized Jenkins and Schmidt by presenting them with letters granting them each a day off with pay to be used anytime during the fiscal year. 



The two employees noted that they were proud to be honored by the Director and the Labor Commissioner.  Jenkins said that he had not known what or how to feel about what had happened, just that it was odd.  Following the presentation and praise from the Director, he smiled and said “Now I feel good.”  The gentlemen have kept in touch with their recovering co-worker and were happy to report that they had spoken to their co-worker over the weekend and he sounded great, just like his “old self” and that he spoke about returning to work.