The IAFC's EMS Section honored U.S. Representative Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) as an honorary paramedic with its Meritorious Service Award. Section Chair Chief Gary Ludwig presented the award to Roe for his heroic actions of performing CPR to save the life of a man in an airport.

On Sept. 20, Roe was traveling through a Charlotte, N.C., airport when he heard a call for a doctor after a man collapsed. Roe sprung into action and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. When they arrived on scene, the paramedics’ automatic external defibrillator showed the man had flat-lined and was legally dead before receiving CPR.

The EMS Section’s Meritorious Service Award was created in 2009 to acknowledge exceptional work during the year.

Roe’s resolution is H.Res. 457; the resolution encourages individuals to seek training in the use of CPR and AEDs and encourages bystanders to use hands-only CPR and AEDs for saving the life of someone in cardiac arrest.