Great Barrington Firehouse Sets CPR Open House After One of Its Own Is Saved

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Ed McCormick, a Great Barrington firefighter for more than 50 years, has helped many people in emergency situations during his service to the town.

At this past Thanksgiving's annual Turkey Trot Race at Bard College at Simon's Rock, some of his brother firefighters returned the favor by aiding him in his time of need.

McCormick, 68, had been walking and talking with Great Barrington Fire Captain Marc Palumbo and firefighter Chris Nelson on the race course and had just moved ahead of them when they saw him fall over. They knew it was serious by the way McCormick had fallen, and it turned out he was in cardiac arrest.

Palumbo and Nelson immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to stabilize him, with help from a nurse on the scene. The Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad and personnel with the Great Barrington Police Department responded and managed to restart McCormick's heart with a defibrillator and intravenous drugs.

"It was ironic that one of the first people to come to my aid, Marc Palumbo, was a guy I had convinced to join the Fire Department 12 years ago. You know who your friends are when you're in need, and when I needed it most, I was fortunate to have an incredible array of friends and colleagues on hand. They literally saved my life," McCormick said. "I can't thank the first responders, the Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad, the Great Barrington Police and Fire Departments, and Fairview Hospital enough for their professionalism, swift actions and wonderful care."

As a special thank you to the first responders and to the community, the McCormick family is sponsoring a special CPR training in partnership with the Great Barrington Fire Department and Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance. This free event will be held at the Great Barrington Firehouse on Saturday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. While it's not a full certification class, attendees will learn many of the basics that could help save a life in the event of an emergency.

Dalton Resident Ranks Third in National Snocross Race

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
06:18PM / Sunday, December 21, 2025

Sal LeBeau on his machine with his sister, Kenna, in the black hat, and friend Brandon and his sister Alea.

DALTON, Mass. — At just 16 years old, Salvatore LaBeau is already making avalanches in the national snocross racing scene.

 

Last weekend, LaBeau raced in the Mount Zion Snocross National race in Ironwood, Mich., the first of eight races in the national circuit series. 

 

Competitions take place across national circuits, attracting racers from various regions and even internationally. 

 

Labeau rides for CT Motorsports, a team based in Upstate New York, on a 2025 Polaris 600R. 

 

This is LaBeau's first time competing on the CT Motorsports team. Years prior, he raced for a team owned by Bruce Gaspardi, owner of South Side Sales and Service in North Adams.  

 

Despite a bad first day on Friday when he fell off his snowmobile and didn't make the final, LaBeau carried on with confidence and on Saturday obtained his first national podium, placing in third for the Sport Lite class. 

 

"I'm feeling good. I'm gonna start training more when I come home, and go to the gym more. And I am really excited, because I'm in 11th right now," the Wahconah High student said.