2009 – Captain Matthew Palmer Named as “Firefighter of the Year”

Matthew T. Palmer was cited for his life saving efforts while he was off duty. He was on his way home from working an extra shift at the Stamford Fire and Rescue Department when he stopped to assist a man who had collapsed on the sidewalk in front of a building in Hamden, CT.

Captain Palmer quickly determined that the man was in cardiac arrest and without hesitation started CPR while a bystander called 911. He continued CPR until the Paramedics arrived and delivered one shock to the patient that converted his heart to a normal sinus rhythm.  Thanks to the quick actions of Captain Palmer, the man survived and was discharged from the hospital several days after the incident. Captain Palmer is to be commended for his immediate response to this emergency, which surely saved the man’s life.