Officer Honored with Life Saving Award

Officer Luis Vicuna was awarded the Arcadia Police Department Life Saving Award at last nights City Council meeting.  Chief Bob Sanderson, Officer Luis Vicuna, and Captain Gene Gioia are pictured above. The award citation is quoted below:

On December 29, 2009 at approximately 5:48 P.M., Officer Luis Vicuna responded to 56 E. Duarte Road (Arcadia Fitness Sports Club) to assist on a medical emergency. Seventy-six year old James Chen had collapsed while running on a treadmill. Maurice Llewellyn, an employee at the fitness club, and Miguel Salas, a patron at the club, found that Mr. Chen was not breathing. Both men began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an attempt to save his life.


Officer Vicuna arrived as Mr. Llewellyn and Mr. Salas were performing CPR on Mr. Chen. Mr. Chen had no pulse and was not breathing on his own. Based on his evaluation of Mr. Chen, Officer Vicuna continued CPR until Arcadia Fire Department paramedics arrived and took over life saving measures.


The paramedics continued to work on Mr. Chen and were finally able to establish a pulse and Mr. Chen began breathing on his own. Mr. Chen was transported to Arcadia Methodist Hospital emergency room where further treatment was administered bringing Mr. Chen into stable condition.


Medical evaluation determined that the CPR efforts provided by Mr. Llewellyn, Mr. Salas and Officer Vicuna was likely the determining factor in saving Mr. Chen’s life.


Officer Vicuna’s actions were in the finest tradition of the law enforcement profession. His quick assessment of the emergency allowed him to provide the care needed to help save Mr. Chen’s life. Officer Vicuna’s decisive actions saved the precious time that Mr. Chen needed to survive.


For his actions, Officer Luis Vicuna is hereby awarded the Arcadia Police Department’s Life Saving Medal with Citation for exemplary service.

Awarded this 2nd day of March 2010.


Robert P. Sanderson, Chief of Police