BIDDEFORD — March 27 is a night that Brenda Gobeil will never forget.

On that night, a few days before his 60^th birthday, her husband Mike had a heart attack in their Biddeford home.

“When Mike came home from racquetball that night, everything was normal,” she said. “Then all of a sudden, I hear him falling on the ground.”

Brenda thought maybe he had tripped and fallen, but she found him on the floor gasping for breath. She called 911 and a dispatcher over the phone guided her on conducting chest compressions until the local first responders arrived three minutes later and took over.

Brenda was guided to another part of the house by one of the firefighters, who kept her calm while the others worked on Mike and prepared to take him to the hospital. Mike was  initially taken to Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford, then brought to Maine Medical Center in Portland for additional care.

Mike underwent treatment for a heart attack and is recovering well. He and Brenda thank the hospitals for their care, the 911 dispatcher for their assistance and Biddeford firefighters for their quick response and teamwork.

Mike knows something about the fire department and the teamwork and skills involved in the profession. He’s been a call firefighter for 29 years.

“I am very proud of my wife and my fellow firefighters,” said Mike.

Captain John Pothier, Mike’s best friend since childhood, was one of the firefighters who responded to the call on March 27.

“I was in compete denial when the address came in,” he said. “When you walk through the doorway your skills take over and you get to work.”

Mike said his heart attack took him and Brenda by surprise. He said he is an active person and doesn’t drink or smoke.

“You never know when you’re going to run into a situation like this,” said Brenda. “I was just shocked.”

Brenda had taken a CPR class many years ago in high school, and decided that it was time for her to take a refresher class. She talked with family and friends and gathered a group of about 13 people to take a class at the fire station on Sunday.

The Biddeford Fire Department periodically offers CPR classes to members of the community. For more information, go to the fire department’s website.

Brenda urged people to check their local communities to see if CPR classes are offered.

“It could save a life, and it saved a life that night,” she said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.