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Chris Nelson, Ed McCormick and Marc Palumbo posing with the Great Barrington Fire Department. Photo courtesy of Lee Rogers

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

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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.



Fire Chief Charles Burger noted the importance of bystanders knowing and being able to start CPR.

"In Ed's case, there were trained firefighters present, but I cannot emphasize the importance of having willing bystanders trained in CPR ready to start resuscitation immediately in these emergency situations," he said.

Chief Burger noted that quickly administering CPR is essential to provide a stricken individual with the best possibility of a full recovery.

Burger urges all citizens to get CPR training. For additional CPR training options, area residents can contact Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance or Fairview Hospital.

McCormick is returning to health and looks forward to getting back to his law office and continuing to serve his community.


Tags: CPR training,   health & wellness,   

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Dalton Man Accused of Kidnapping, Shooting Pittsfield Man

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Dalton man was arrested on Thursday evening after allegedly kidnapping and shooting another man.

Nicholas Lighten, 35, was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on Friday on multiple charges including kidnapping with a firearm and armed assault with intent to murder. He was booked in Dalton around 11:45 p.m. the previous night.

There was heavy police presence Thursday night in the area of Lighten's East Housatonic Street home before his arrest.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Dalton dispatch received a call from the Pittsfield Police Department requesting that an officer respond to Berkshire Medical Center. Adrian Mclaughlin of Pittsfield claimed that he was shot in the leg by Lighten after an altercation at the defendants home. Mclaughlin drove himself to the hospital and was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. 

"We were told that Lighten told Adrian to go down to his basement, where he told Adrian to get down on his knees and pulled out a chain," the police report reads.

"We were told that throughout the struggle with Lighten, Adrian recalls three gunshots."

Dalton PD was advised that Pittsfield had swabbed Mclaughlin for DNA because he reported biting Lighten. A bite mark was later found on Lighten's shoulder. 

Later that night, the victim reportedly was "certain, very certain" that Lighten was his assailant when shown a photo array at the hospital.

According to Dalton Police, an officer was stationed near Lighten's house in an unmarked vehicle and instructed to call over the radio if he left the residence. The Berkshire County Special Response Team was also contacted.

Lighten was under surveillance at his home from about 7:50 p.m. to about 8:40 p.m. when he left the property in a vehicle with Massachusetts plates. Another officer initiated a high-risk motor vehicle stop with the sergeant and response team just past Mill Street on West Housatonic Street, police said, and traffic was stopped on both sides of the road.

Lighten and a passenger were removed from the vehicle and detained. Police reported finding items including a brass knuckle knife, three shell casings wrapped in a rubber glove, and a pair of rubber gloves on him.

The response team entered Lighten's home at 43 East Housatonic before 9:30 p.m. for a protective sweep and cleared the residence before 9:50 p.m., police said. The residence was secured for crime scene investigators.

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