Community Mourns Loss of Dr. Stanley Zydlo

Dr. Stanley Zydlo, one of ICEP’s founding members and a pioneer of EMS, passed away June 3. He was 81.

Dr. Zydlo is considered the “father” of the paramedic service in the northwest Illinois suburbs and founder of the first emergency medical system in Illinois, at Northwest Community Hospital. He started one of the first paramedic training programs in the U.S.

Dr. Zydlo served as head of the Northwest Community EMS System from its inception in 1972 until the mid-2000s. He was an active ICEP member and longtime EMS Committee member who frequently attended ICEP educational programs throughout the state.

According to a Daily Herald article:

“Dr. Zydlo has long been credited with being the force behind the creation of the EMT and paramedic systems — making for a dramatic change in how seriously ill people are transported to the nearest hospital.

“Prior to 1972, people in need of medical treatment were picked up by hearses run out of area funeral homes and taken to hospitals. Working with Zydlo and his training system — sometimes done out of his own home — area fire departments began training firefighters to also be emergency medical technicians and/or paramedics, capable of delivering lifesaving treatment to patients even before they arrived at a hospital.”

Visitation will be from 2 pm to 9 pm on Wednesday, June 10 at Smith Corcoran Funeral Home, 185 E. Northwest Highway, Palatine. A funeral service and mass will be held at 10 am Thursday, June 11 at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 445 N. Benton Street, Palatine.

Read full Daily Herald article

Read obituary

Read more about Dr. Zydlo’s role in founding the Northwest Community EMS System

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