WEST SENECA — It was just another day on the job for West Seneca Highway Mechanics Nicholas Gugliuzza and Norman Locher when things took a turn for the worst.
While out picking up a fuel tank at the local auto parts store, they saw a car rear-end a truck at a car wash next to the store.
The workers also saw that the driver inside the car was slumped over the wheel.
Gugliuzza and Locher raced over to the vehicle and quickly attended to the man, who was not breathing.
Locher began CPR and instructed Gugliuzza to find scissors to cut the man’s shirt to prepare to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
On top of being a highway mechanic, Locher serves as the West Seneca Fire Chief and alerted firefighters to the emergency.
The firefighters, along with a paramedic, almost immediately arrived.
After Locher’s CPR, the paramedic delivered two AED shocks to the man, whose pulse restarted.
“That AED, in my opinion, saved his life,” said Locher.
“Without that AED, this guy could be dead today,” said Gugliuzza
Locher and Gugliuzza were recognized by West Seneca town officials at a town board meeting for their heroic efforts.
CSEA West Seneca Blue Collar Unit President Brian Cummins commended Locher and Gugliuzza for their composure and quick thinking in a time of crisis.
“This is the perfect example of the right place at the right time,” said Cummins. “This just proves that you must be ready for anything at a job like this. Had they not been there, had the experience, the resources and the connections they had, this may not have had such a happy ending.”
— Madison Ruffo
