A school groundskeeper was hit by lightening while tending to a New Jersey soccer field on Wednesday in a strike that knocked him flat on the ground.
Eric Baumgartner was repainting lines on the sports field when he was struck by a single bolt lightning shortly before 12.30pm at Iselin Middle School in Woodbridge Township.
Police Officer Robert ‘R.J.’ McPartland is being credited by the Mayor for saving the life of the 39-year-old father of two – who was found lying on the ground without a pulse.
The strike, which could be heard from miles away, was witnessed by neighbors.
‘It was like a bomb, a huge bomb,’ said Iselin resident Jay Heday to ABC7. ‘Then out of the window I saw the guy go down, flat on the floor.’
School groundskeeper and 39-year-old father of two, Eric Baumgartner (pictured), was struck by lightening at Iselin Middle School in Woodbridge Township, NJ, before 12:30 p.m. as he worked on the soccer field
The strike was witnessed by neighbors and the responding police officer as well as being captured on a doorbell camera. It could be heard from miles away and sounded like ‘a huge bomb’
Baumgartner was working with large metal machinery with two other employees as fast-moving thunderstorms swept across the region. His coworkers called 911 to report the emergency.
A doorbell camera in the neighborhood captured the lightning.
The responding officer was in the area during the time of the accident and was able to arrive on scene within minutes. He saw the lightening strike as he was approaching the area, he said.
Officer McPartland, a certified EMT with three years on the police force, happened to be a former fireman with training in such scenarios. He also said he knows the victim personally from working with him in the township, and was talking to him the whole time.
‘I saw Eric out on the field. I immediately ran up to him; I checked for a pulse; he did not have a pulse,’ said the police officer. ‘It was apparent he was struck by lightning. He was still holding one of the machines; we were able to get that away from him.’
McPartland administered CPR and chest compressions until other first-responders arrived.
‘We were able to see some burn marks appeared on his hands, so that was how we were able to determine what happened. And we knew we needed to start compressions to get his heart started again,’ McPartland said to CBS News.
The incident occurred at Iselin Middle School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey just before 12:30 p.m., as Eric Baumgartner was repainting lines on the school’s soccer field before getting struck by the single bolt of lightening
McCormac (pictured with his family) was transported to Robert Wood Johnson hospital in stable condition, and is ‘awake, alert and in good spirits,’ according to the Mayor John McCormac who visited him
Read Related Also: Mother of boy, 10, mauled to death by XL Bully will make a heartfelt plea to MPs today
Baumgartner’s pulse returned in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
‘Once we were in the ambulance, we got a pulse back and he did slowly begin to regain consciousness,’ he added. ‘He wasn’t talking yet. But he was starting to move his limbs and wake up a little bit.’
Mayor John McCormac emphasized his pride and gratitude for the Woodbridge Township police department and officer McPartland specifically.
The Mayor said: ‘we have every reason to believe Officer McPartland saved Eric Baumgartner’s life. I could not be prouder.’
‘Officer McPartland, by virtue of being a firefighter for many years before becoming a police officer, is very well trained in CPR and first aid and immediately gave CPR,’ he said at a press conference. ‘It was very lucky that he was there at the time that he was.’
Police Officer Robert ‘R.J.’ McPartland is being credited by the Mayor for saving the life of Baumgartner who was found without a pulse
Officer McPartland, a certified EMT with three years on the police force, administered CPR and chest compressions until Baumgartner’s pulse returned in the ambulance
Baumgartner has been an employee of the school for 18 years. He and his wife Anita (left) have two young children.
Baumgartner was transported to Robert Wood Johnson hospital in New Jersey.
He is reported to be alert and conscious. He is listed in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.
‘He’s alert and conscious, he’s talking and that’s very good news,’ the mayor said, commenting on Baumgartner’s condition.
The mayor emphasized the important of police officers becoming certified in CPR and receiving EMT training.
‘We also encourage our police department to become EMTs so that is frequently the first person on the scene of any issue,’ McCormick says.
Baumgartner has been an employee of the school for 18 years. He and his wife Anita have two young children.
McCormac visited Baumgartner in the hospital and said he is ‘awake, alert and in good spirits.’
Officer McPartland said: ‘I’m just glad I was close and able to get to him as fast as we did. It’s what we are trained to do.’
