HR0660 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0660 LRB099 12791 MST 37105 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Stanley Zydlo of Inverness, who passed away on June 3, 2015 at the age of 81; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo was born on December 15, 1933; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo was married to his beloved wife, Joyce Reid, with their loving children, Mark, Sheri, Matt (Jennifer), Brad, Kate, and the late Kristi, the late Scott, and the late Josh; he was the proud grandfather of Rikki Ghilardi, Logan Young, Gage Person, and Jean, Dane, Jase, and Kayla Zydlo; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo was a former Major in the United States Air Force, Strategic Air Command; he left the Air Force in 1963 to practice medicine in Wabash, Indiana; and

WHEREAS, In 1969, Dr. Zydlo moved to Chicago and joined the emergency room staff at Northwestern Community Hospital; and

WHEREAS, After looking at the mobile intensive care units for cardiac patients that were starting to be used, Dr. Zydlo thought the idea could be expanded to other types of emergency care; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo organized a meeting of northwest suburban fire departments to propose the idea of training and certifying firefighters in emergency medicine; he knew the first 6 minutes were the most crucial for someone suffering a heart attack; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo was able to begin developing a first-of-its-kind paramedic program in the United States; when he first went to the fire departments, the chiefs believed in this program and how it could potentially lead to saving thousands of lives; and

WHEREAS, When Dr. Zydlo first started spreading his vision within the emergency medical service community, it met resistance; some felt that firefighters could not be properly trained to provide emergency medical care; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo would not be deterred from his vision; he persisted teaching many of the paramedic courses himself, and in time, he was overseeing all medical deliveries by member agencies and municipalities; and

WHEREAS, In 1972, Northwest Community Hospital launched its Mobile Intensive Care System (MICS), with the help of Dr. Zydlo; the MICS served 9 communities in the northwest suburbs - Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove, Lake Zurich, Wheeling, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, and Rolling Meadows, and today this emergency medical services system serves 25 member agencies, 22 area fire departments, and 3 private ambulance services; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo served as medical director of Northwest Community's Emergency Medical Service system and its emergency department for nearly 25 years; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo was a highly respected instructor, demanding as much from his paramedic students as he did himself and teaching paramedic students to never second-guess themselves or hesitate because it can lead to mistakes and loss of crucial time when helping a patient; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Zydlo was highly respected by the many firefighters he helped train as paramedics and for establishing the foundation of emergency medical response by fire departments; and

WHEREAS, The work of Dr. Zydlo has helped to save an untold number of lives; Reverend Brian Simpson stated in his eulogy, "Stan was not just a private citizen. He was a public treasure. Imagine if he had not been here. How many of our friends and family wouldn't be here still?"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. Stanley Zydlo, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him and we thank him for the impact he left upon this world; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Zydlo as an expression of our deepest sympathy.