PTFD Firefighters (left to right) Captain and Paramedic Eric Ganson, Paramedic Josh Greenlee, and EMT Andrew Naylor hold up their Outstanding Service Awards in front of ambulance Medic 692 used during their life-saving call.
On December 18, 2024, three Potawatomi Tribal Fire Department (PTFD) first responders were awarded Outstanding Service Awards for their successful efforts saving a cardiac patient’s life. Captain / Paramedic Eric Ganson, Firefighter / Paramedic Josh Greenlee, and Firefighter / EMT Andrew Naylor showcased the highest standards of emergency medical care while out in the field. Their outstanding performance exemplified the PTFD’s commitment to protecting community members.
The response began earlier that month, when a 911 call crackled through their radios. Within minutes, Ganson, Greenlee, and Naylor arrived at the resident’s home. They initiated a swift evaluation and determined the patient was suffering from a heart attack. The crew immediately began emergency treatment and made the crucial decision to rush to a Topeka hospital.
As their truck sped through the streets, the crew radioed ahead with a “STEMI Alert” – signaling the need for an immediate cardiac intervention. This critical alert set in motion a trained emergency response at the hospital, where staff began preparing equipment that would soon save their patient’s life.
Within moments of arrival, the patient was in the hands of the hospital’s cardiac team. Moving swiftly to the catheterization lab, specialists successfully reopened the blocked arteries. The efficiency with which Ganson, Greenlee, and Naylor provided medical support minimized damage to the patient’s heart. The seamless coordination between the PTFD crew and the Topeka hospital staff aided in the patient’s swift recovery. They returned home just two days later and, within two weeks, were back in the community socializing with friends.
Hospital staff later praised the PTFD crew’s exceptional field response during a quality assurance review. For PTFD Chief and Paramedic Douglas Schriener, the case exemplified the pride he has for his team. Schriener told Ganson, Greenlee, and Naylor “You gave your patient, their family, and their friends a chance at many more years of productive life together. You drastically affected more than just one heart that day.”
Schriener later reflected on the crew’s actions, “This could have been a completely different outcome had it not been for the right people, with the right training, and the right equipment on duty at the right time, which by design for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is 24 hours a day. The Nation does a great job taking care of the people and I am always proud of the impact the team has day in and day out.”