Two Westport police officers have been honored with the department’s Life Saving Award in recognition of their actions on a call earlier this month.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, officers Mike Chicca and Jarrod Levesque were called to a domestic dispute at a Drift Road home. While speaking with officers and his wife, a 56-year-old man turned away, leaned against his truck and collapsed with no warning.

Both officers saw the medical event unfold and coordinated their actions. While Levesque checked for a pulse and started chest compressions, he asked the wife for her husband’s medical history. Meanwhile, Officer Chicca radioed the station and requested an ambulance, then retrieved an AED (automatic external defibrillator) from his cruiser.

When Chicca returned, the officers worked together to attach the AED’s electrodes to the man’s chest and delivered a shock as directed. After that, they took turns doing chest compressions to limit fatigue while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. By the time it did, the man had regained consciousness.

After reading the officers’ incident report and viewing their body camera footage, members of department’s awards committee concluded that Chicca and Levesque’s quick response, proper use of the AED and manual CPR technique helped save the man.

Committee members also gave great weight to a statement from Westport paramedic Glenn Nunes, who wrote:

“First time in 29 years I brought a patient to the hospital post cardiac arrest that was sitting up talking to me with no complaints. He is definitely alive and doing well from a quick response from your guys."