The Norfolk Fire Division is proud to recognize two outstanding citizens, James Kelley and Steve Janssen, for their heroic efforts in saving a life. The two individuals were presented with Life Saver Awards after performing bystander CPR on Tony Pruss during a cardiac arrest, while Norfolk Fire and Rescue crews responded to the emergency.

Their swift actions highlight the importance of bystander CPR, a critical intervention that has been proven to significantly increase survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Although an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was not available at the scene, the successful outcome underscores how crucial bystander CPR can be.

“I am personally indebted to James and Steve for not hesitating to jump in and perform CPR on Tony when it was needed. Their actions, along with the quick response of the Norfolk Fire and Rescue staff, saved his life,” said Anne Pruss.

Thanks to a generous donation from Anne and Tony Pruss and their family, another AED is now available to the Norfolk community. Andrew Smeal and his team at Eldorado Hills have graciously accepted this life-saving device, which will be accessible to their members, customers, and the community in case of emergency.

“Eldorado Hills Golf Club would like to thank James, Steve, and Norfolk Fire and Rescue for their quick action in helping Tony. We would also like to thank the Pruss family for their donation of the AED to the club and the local community,” said Andrew Smeal, General Manager of Eldorado Hills Golf Club.

“This is truly a community partnership,” said Trever O’Brien, Assistant Fire Chief. “We commend James Kelley and Steve Janssen for their incredible response, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the Pruss family for their generosity and commitment to safety, as well as to Eldorado Hills for housing this critical resource.”