PITTSBURGH — Thousands of people participated Sunday in the 39th running of the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race, and paramedics are being credited with saving the life of one of them.
Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman Sonya Toler said a runner went into cardiac arrest during the race and was revived by paramedics. The 53-year-old New Castle man collapsed shortly after 10 a.m. along the race route, near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Craig Street.
Toler said that within moments, three paramedics -- two who were also runners and another two who were on motorcycles -- were at the man’s side to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.
"We put a lot of pre-planning into it. Got quite a few years of experience with Great Race and with marathon. Again motorcycles are paramount," said City of Pittsburgh EMS District Chief Jeffery Meyer.
The man was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital after being revived and is expected to survive, Toler said.
"To be able to bring someone back and make a difference in their life is a good feeling," said City of Pittsburgh EMS Crew Chief Marc Bonasso.
No other major incidents were reported during Sunday’s race.
Since being established in 1977 as a community “fun run” by the late Pittsburgh Mayor Richard Caliguiri, more than one-third of a million people have participated the Great Race, according to organizers.
Sunday’s 5K Run & Fitness Walk began at 8 a.m. at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Atwood Street in Oakland. The 10K Run began at 9:30 a.m. near the corner of Beechwood Boulevard and South Dallas Avenue in Frick Park in Squirrel Hill. Both events ended in downtown Pittsburgh in Point State Park.
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