First responders celebrated for saving man in Grand Central

Frank Rush said he was just reacting and putting his EMT training into action when he recently helped revive a man who went into cardiac arrest in Grand Central.

MTA officials gathered in the station on Monday morning to thank Rush and countless other police and first responders, and played a video message of appreciation from Moises Dreszer, who survived the ordeal.

“We’re still a family, we’re all still here,” said Cathy Dreszer, Moises’ wife, said in the message. “Your emergency people are so capable and fabulous and there are great citizens in this city.”

The Dreszers, from Louisville, were walking through Grand Central on Friday, Jan. 23 when Moises collapsed and went into cardiac arrest.

Rush, 27, who works as a construction superintendent in the city and is a volunteer firefighter and Marine reservist, said he was walking near Track 34 around 4:20 p.m. that day when he saw Dreszer on the floor, and his wife, Cathy, screaming for someone to call 911.

Rush assessed Dreszer’s condition, and gave him CPR with responding MTA Police Officer Michael Burns and administered shocks with an AED. Other responders care for Dreszer and quickly transported him to an ambulance.

Dreszer was taken to NYU Langone Medical Center, where he recovered, and was visited by some of the first responders who treated him, before returning home to Kentucky.

Officials said the little known MTA Fire Brigade, established in 1986, responded to 850 medical calls in 2014. The brigade has access to fire and emergency equipment, and many of the 20 members on the force are volunteers.

MTA Police has access to 75 defibrillators, and the MTA recently ordered 70 more for first responders.