Palatine firefighters honored for life-saving ride.(Neighbor)

0 Comments | Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), January, 2007 | by Faiwell, Sara

Byline: Sara Faiwell Daily Herald Staff Writer On Mother's Day of last year, 11-year-old Mike Finn was crossing the street with some friends. When he tried to turn back because cars were coming, Finn slipped and fell on the wet pavement on Northwest Highway in Palatine. A 1997 Honda Accord was unable to avoid him, striking Finn and leaving the boy with critical injuries, including serious head trauma.

He was taken to Northwest Community Hospital for lifesaving intervention, but then had to be transported to the closest Level 1 Trauma Center, at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Normally, Finn would have been taken by private ambulance, but it was a 45-minute wait for one to come. That's when four Palatine firefighters stepped in....