Seminole County Fire Department Honors Lifesaving Actions of a Dentist Who Saved Man After Cardiac Arrest on Pickleball Court

 The Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) recently honored a local dentist and several firefighters for their lifesaving actions that helped save the life of Sanford resident Jeff Kotkin following a sudden cardiac arrest during a neighborhood pickleball game.
 
The ceremony at Fire Station 34 recognized the “Chain of Survival” that led to Kotkin’s remarkable recovery and featured an emotional reunification between Kotkin, the first responders who treated him and the bystander who immediately stepped in to help.
 
On Nov. 1, 2025, Kotkin, 58, collapsed while playing pickleball in the Lake Forest community after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. Fellow player and local dentist Dr. George Mitrogogos quickly recognized the emergency and immediately began hands-only CPR while others called 911.
 
Crews from SCFD Station 34 arrived in less than five minutes and successfully restored a shockable rhythm before transporting Kotkin to Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital. Medical staff later determined Kotkin required emergency open-heart surgery, and he was transferred to Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he underwent successful quintuple bypass surgery.
 
Today, Kotkin has made a full recovery and has become an advocate for the department’s Save a Life Seminole program, which provides free hands-only CPR education to the community. In fact, Kotkin has helped organize those classes for his neighborhood at Lake Forest.
 
During the ceremony, Dr. Mitrogogos received a Citizen Life Saving Award for his immediate intervention and CPR efforts. Members of SCFD Station 34 were also presented with Life Saving Awards for their coordinated emergency response and advanced medical care.
 
The following firefighters were recognized:

• Lt. Tim Van Fleet
• Engineer Ryan Lucas
• Firefighter/Paramedic Cooper Knicely
• Firefighter/Paramedic Jordan DeCuir
• Firefighter Jared Agin

 
“Station 34’s crew responded to a call that was a cardiac arrest, and they defibrillated the patient and brought him back to Orlando Health Lake Mary,” said Mark Wechsler, assistant medical director for the Seminole County Fire Department. “After arrival, it was determined that the patient needed open-heart surgery and was transferred to Orlando Health Regional Medical Center where he received a five-bypass surgery. It was an extremely successful surgery, and I commend the crew and wholeheartedly endorse this award recognition.
 
The event also highlighted the importance of bystander CPR and early intervention during cardiac emergencies. SCFD officials emphasized that immediate hands-only CPR can significantly improve survival outcomes and encouraged residents to learn the lifesaving skill through the department’s free community classes.
For more information about the Save a Life Seminole program or to register for a free hands-only CPR class, visit Seminole County Fire Department’s Save a Life Seminole webpage at www.seminolecountyfl.gov/savealife.
 
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About the Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD): The Seminole County Fire Department serves nearly a half-million residents countywide with 21 fire stations and responds to over 50,000 incidents annually. SCFD holds an ISO Class 1 rating, is accredited by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CFAI), is gold standard–accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), and is an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. SCFD provides emergency services to unincorporated Seminole County and the cities of Altamonte Springs, Casselberry and Winter Springs, and maintains first-response agreements with Lake Mary, Longwood, Sanford, Oviedo, and Orlando Sanford International Airport. Follow SCFD on Facebook (@SCFD.1974), Instagram (@seminolefd) and X (@SCFDPIO). For more information, visit www.SCFDFL.com.