LVAC member a living testimonial to stroke awareness

By HERB FOSTER

Volunteer Ambulance Corps do much more than just respond to emergencies. They provide the communities they serve with information and tools to better respond to a health crisis or other challenging situations. They hold lectures, distribute first aid kits, teach CPR, support various community events and provide valuable medical information.

The Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps is an example. It will hold a free stroke workshop Wednesday, May 7, at 7 p.m., at the Lewisboro Library.

The workshop will be led by Dr. David Zuckerberg, medical director for the ambulance corps in Lewisboro, Pound Ridge and Vista. He will be joined by Mike Kis, who is not only an LVAC active member but also a stroke survivor.

Kis’ stroke came on Jan. 2, 2019. He had done a 12-hour shift driving the ambulance on New Year’s Day and got up to make a cup of tea.

“I just felt strange,” Mike said, “I started taking utensils out of the drawer but kept dropping them. My wife heard the commotion, and noticed immediately that my face was drooping, and I was slurring my speech. Then, I fell to the ground.”

He praised his wife for quick action. She called 911 and got him up into a chair. The ambulance got there quickly, but when he tried talking to the ambulance crew and the medic, the wrong words kept coming out of his mouth. He was rushed to the hospital. A CAT scan was done which found two small blockages on the left side of his brain. They gave him TPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a medication that can remove a blood clot in someone having an ischemic stroke.

He spent the night in the hospital. The next morning, he felt much better and easily passed tests by physical and speech therapists. He was released to go home that afternoon and, after several weeks, with many doctor visits and new medications, he was back responding to ambulance calls. In his words: “back to doing what I love to do.”  

Kis has gone on to contribute thousands of volunteer hours, responding to hundreds of 911 calls each year. 

“It was a miracle how everything fell into place so perfectly for me,” Kis said, looking back at it. “My wife is my hero. She realized that I needed help and called 911. The ambulance and medic arrived quickly, and the team at the hospital gave me the TPA.”

“Mike is a star volunteer. He has been among our most active members year after year,” LVAC Capt. Dan Murtha said. “His dedication to our mission is unquestionable, and his wider service to the community is remarkable. In recognition of those facts, we honored him with LVAC’s Humanitarian Award, reserved for those who truly go above and beyond in their service. Mike likes to say that ‘nothing can replace the heart of a volunteer,’ and he is the embodiment of that spirit.”

Like many volunteer-based agencies, the Lewisboro Ambulance Corp is actively seeking new members. Zingi Mkefa, an EMT and vice president of the LVAC board, is managing the recruitment.

“We try to be very visible in our community,” he said. “We have multiple touch points with different groups of people, including library fairs and public events, where we can meet the community we serve. For example, we provide a first aid station at the annual Leatherman Loop in Pound Ridge Reservation.”

The corps has more than 40 active members. They cover a fairly large territory, including Cross River, Goldens Bridge, Waccabuc and South Salem. LVAC also participates in the Westchester County Fire Mutual Aid Plan, and it responds to calls for service in support of partner agencies during periods of high call volume, limited availability, and for major events. 

In addition to their adult membership, LVAC has an active junior corps, some of whom are certified EMTs. It takes “all-hands-on deck” to meet the growing demands of 911 EMS service, as LVAC has seen a steady increase in call volume over recent years. 2023 was LVAC’s busiest year, and LVAC answered the pager every time it went off. 

The upcoming workshop focuses on stroke awareness and reminds everyone that time is of the essence. People must be aware of what happens when a person has a stroke and act quickly.

“Part of the lecture will be to describe neurologic symptoms that a family member can help identify,” Zuckerberg noted. “In some cases, the stroke victim may be able to identify it themselves but may be incapacitated from being able to do anything about it. In Mike’s case, he couldn’t communicate without the words being gibberish and he was lying on the floor.”

“It’s especially important that family members can identify the most recognizable signs and symptoms and take action quickly,” continued Zuckerberg, a board-certified emergency medicine physician. “When someone has a stroke, part of the brain is lacking oxygen, and every minute counts.”

According to the American Stroke Association, 80 percent of strokes are preventable and immediate action can make the difference between full recovery or lasting damage. Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps is hoping more people understand how strokes impact people and are ready to take action. 

“When someone suffers a stroke, the true first responder is often a friend or family member,” Murtha said. “Recognizing the signs of a stroke and taking rapid action to activate 911 is the first intervention, and doing so can help improve the odds of a positive outcome.”