A Safety Story
Due to quick thinking during the following incident, Tweet/Garot and Gabe Gutenbergerreceived a National "Safety Matters" Award from Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT).
On April 29, 2004, several Tweet/Garot employees successfully usedtraining and the proper equipment to save the life of coworker and Local 18 Sheet Metal member Mark Pankow.
At 3:00 pm, Mark was completing his work day in the west parking lot of the St. Clare's Hospital jobsite in Weston, Wisconsin. While walking to his vehicle,he collapsed of an apparent heart attack. Fellow worker, Lukas Juedes, was the first person to see Mark falter and immediately called for help. Mike Dalum heard Lukas and signaled for Gabe Gutenberger, a first responder who was also working on the jobsite, to get his equipment and help Mark.
Gabe returned from his truck about a minute later with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and, with the assistance of Kevin Hausler, applied the AEDand began preparing the supplemental oxygen. Mike called 911 at approximately 3:02 pm. In the meantime, another coworker, Walter Jensen, with the assistance of M.A. Mortenson employee Cindy LaFortune, began CPR on Mark. At this point it was 3:03 pm. Gabe then utilized the defibrillator, reviving Mark to a point where he was breathing and had a pulse. Jobsite superintendent Kevin Duquaine kept the scene clear throughout and assisted the ambulance in getting to the scene. Gabe and coworkers continued to monitor Mark's condition until 3:10 pm when the ambulance arrived to take Mark to Wausau Emergency Hospital where, after heart surgery and insertion of a stent, Mark made a full recovery.
Tweet/Garot appreciates these employees and their acts of heroism as they assisted their fellow employee in his time of need. We are also thankful that the time we have taken to train our employees has saved Mark's life. Tweet/Garot and M.A. Mortenson continue to train their employees for a situation like this, and since this incident, both companies have purchased additional AEDs for their offices and large projects.
