Bayfield Marshal Joe McIntyre presented lifesaver awards to resident Joe Stewart and Deputy Holly Cashwell at Tuesday's town board meeting. The two provided life saving CPR to a heroin overdose victim on Oct. 17.
McIntyre said he started as Bayfield Marshal four years ago in December and has seen a lot of changes since then. Now it's heroin in Bayfield.
He recounted the Oct. 17 incident. At about midnight, a young man overdosed while locked in the bathroom at his house. His girlfriend tried to get in, then ran outside screaming for help. Joe Stewart lives nearby. He heard her and responded. Stewart went into the house not knowing what he might encounter. He forced his way into the bathroom and found the victim not breathing and with no pulse. He started CPR.
Deputy Cashwell was next to arrive. She also provided CPR until Upper Pine paramedics arrived. A sheriff's deputy also helped. Paramedics administered a drug called Narcan to reverse the overdose, McIntyre said, but without Stewart's and Cashwell's CPR, the victim might not have survived, or he might have survived with brain damage. They were getting a pulse intermittently. He came through the incident all right.
McIntyre said of Cashwell, "She has been very humble about this incident. She was more concernd that Joe Stewart would be recognized."
They performed the maneuvers in a chaotic situation, with the victim's girlfriend and mother both hysterical, McIntyre said. The victim also has a young child.
McIntyre didn't know if this heroin overdose was an example of incidents around the country where people get addicted to prescription painkillers and switch to heroin because it can be cheaper and easier to get.
A full cadre of marshal's deputies and Upper Pine responders were on hand for the awards Tuesday. New deputy Joe Hochanadel also was sworn in and received his badge.
