WALL TOWNSHIP — The South Wall Fire and Rescue Santa Run on Saturday, Dec. 17 took a lifesaving detour when a dispatch came in for a medical emergency around 6 p.m.
The Santa Run had been driving around areas of Wall since 1 p.m. that afternoon, touring the streets to greet residents as they waved from their front lawns and doorways.
People of all ages were excited to see the festive convoy roll past their houses, which played holiday music and featured Santa waving from a fire truck.
ADVERTISEMENT
Volunteers from the fire department distributed candy canes to onlookers with lights and sirens announcing their arrival to each neighborhood.
When the call came in for a CPR in progress partway through the run, the antique truck holding Santa drove over to the Sea Girt Mall Shopping Plaza, where off-duty firefighters Jarrod Rubin and Mark Pellecchia Jr. took over for a civilian performing CPR.
Normally used for events such as the Santa Run, the fire engine was still equipped with a defibrillator and EMS pack, which the two used to resuscitate the victim while waiting for the police and ambulance to arrive.
Shortly after the revival, police and EMS services took over and transported the individual to the hospital.
This is an excerpt of the print article. For more on this story, read The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
Check out our other Manasquan stories, updated daily. And remember to pick up a copy of The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.
Subscribe today! If you're not already an annual subscriber to The Coast Star, get your subscription today! For just $34 per year, you will receive local mail delivery weekly, with pages and pages of local news and online access to our e-edition on Starnewsgroup.com.
