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Volunteering Leads to Life Saving Moment!
Story by Sgt. Cody Kilduff, Task Force Powderhorn Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. — What started off as a way to get out of the house with a future, turned into three years of defending the country through different types of missions.
Spc. Stephen Prochniak, a military police officer with the 972nd Military Police Company, is one the Massachusetts National Guard members currently activated to assist with staffing shortages across the commonwealth to fight COVID-19. He is currently assigned to Lowell General Hospital working in a non-clinical staff role.
“It’s been general technician work, turning over rooms, helping stock and assisting patients in transport,” said Prochniak.
During one of his shifts, Prochniak assisted medical staff resuscitate an unconscious patient after following the nurse he was assisting that day. He stood back watching the doctors until one of them asked if he knew CPR. When he said he did, Prochniak rotated in and out with doctors giving chest compressions multiple times until the patient’s pulse was found.
“I relieved one of the doctors and began giving compressions for approximately two and a half minutes,” said Prochniak. “During the final time, they checked for a pulse and found it. I was a very small part of the team, of the real heroes that are doing this kind of thing every day.”
“I’m happy to help and being able to work them and see what they do every single day as they have for the last two years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Prochniak. “They all seem happy to have us, which is very nice. Anything from a smile, to hey how are you today shows how grateful they are.”
Prochniak began his National Guard career in Ohio before initiating an interstate-transferring to Massachusetts.
After his transfer, Prochniak had the opportunity to work with Massachusetts State Police at Logan International Airport, providing security and traffic control at the airport. He felt like this mission changed his career and gave an opportunity to be a part of something important.
“Actually doing things in my community really opened my eyes as to what the Guard had to offer for me,” said Prochniak. “Pretty soon after that it became mission after, mission after mission, after mission. I realized that this is what I love to do, and I want to keep doing it.”
In addition, he has been activated for missions at the Boston Convention Center field hospital, Operation Capital Response, Operation Vigilant Peace, Department of Corrections and Task Force Powderhorn.
“Every single mission I’ve been on has been a new experience, something incredible, often,” said Prochniak. “Every time they say, hey there’s a mission, I’ll be the first one to say, yeah let’s go.”
Even though Prochniak was trained as military police, he still volunteers for non-law enforcement opportunities.
“I never really imagined I’d be working in the medical field,” said Prochniak. “I still can’t believe it, but I try to look at it as something brand new, something exciting, I would have never done anyway otherwise and it’s something of an opportunity for me to learn about and see things.”
Through his current time in, he believes that he would like to stay in for as long as his body can handle.
“If you asked me knowing what I know now, would I do it again,” said Prochniak. “I wouldn’t even think about it, I’d sign the papers.”
| Date Taken: | 01.11.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 01.13.2022 18:38 |
| Story ID: | 412894 |
| Location: | HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 137 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Volunteering Leads to Life Saving Moment!, by SGT Cody Kilduff, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
