CROWN POINT | Crown Point should hang a halo over its fire station, a hospital employee suggested after two men in two days last week survived full cardiac arrest.

Fire Chief Greg DeLor said the men's back-to-back survival was nothing short of miraculous.

"Most people that have sudden cardiac arrest are dead, dead, dead," he said. "To have a long-term viable recovery, despite all of our best efforts, is somewhat rare."

The difference in these two men's cases was rapid intervention, DeLor said. He called it "the picture perfect advertisement for CPR training."

On Jan. 14, Crown Point police and firefighters responded to a 55-year-old man in full cardiac arrest at his home.

Police Cpl. Mark Needham arrived within one minute of the call and began CPR, DeLor said. Police officer Todd Carey showed up shortly afterward and used a defibrillator to shock the man's heart.

Crown Point paramedics and firefighters Bryan Bodamer, Tom Walters and Dale Holsti arrived with student Brandon Verkler and continued to resuscitate the man and take him to Saint Anthony Medical Center.

The next day, Crown Point Fire Rescue responded to Strack and Van Til on Broadway, where a 70-year-old man collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest.

Saint Anthony cardiac nurse Kim Steiniger saw the man collapse and started CPR until paramedics Mike Parks and Ryan Cusack and student Rhiannon Davis arrived. He also was taken to Saint Anthony.

DeLor said quick responses, people administering early CPR and the use of the defibrillator boosted the men's chances of survival.

"Those are the kinds of things that save lives," he said.