SAUGUS – It might start off a little painful, but 2008 will ultimately be a happier New Year for Police Sgt. John Coburn thanks to all his public safety colleagues.Coburn was in the midst of booking a combative suspect when he had a cardiac episode that left him unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing.”You know what that means,” said Fire Chief James Blanchard. “He was technically dead.”But fortunately Coburn was not alone in the booking room where he collapsed and quick thinking by his colleagues saved his life.Police Lt. Michael Annese said Sgt. Leonard Campanello, Sgt. Anthony LoPresti, officers David Gecoya, Michael Richards, Jason Labella, Gary Sacco and Andrew Coule, along with dispatchers John Donachie and Christina Chesna, all pitched in, starting when Donachie caught Coburn mid-collapse.”It was the whole shift,” Annese said. “They did an unbelievable job.”While Campanello, Gecoya and Richards started CPR immediately, another officer called firefighters, all of whom are trained Emergency Medical Technicians.Blanchard said Captains Thomas Nolan and Don McQuaid responded along with firefighters Ron Ruszkowski, Scott Phelan, Joe Imbrogna and Robert Shannon, who took over on the CPR.”The police started the CPR immediately, which was a huge benefit,” Blanchard said. “They hooked him up to the (defibrillator), which is the best chance you could have, it said ‘shock advised,’ so they shocked him. By the time the ambulance arrived he was semi-conscious and breathing on his own.”Annese had nothing but praise for Shannon.”He did a tremendous job,” Annese said. “The ambulance guys said it was probably what kept (Coburn) alive.”Blanchard said Coburn was lucky on two fronts.”Thank God he wasn’t alone when it happened and that we were in-house,” he said. “We could have been at (a fire) or anyplace.”Blanchard said it is not unusual for his men to be called to the lock up area of the police station. He said suspects are often brought in having taken drugs or trying to hurt themselves or others.”The guys were down the pole before they heard it was for an officer down,” he said. “We react the same, but it does ratchet it up a notch.”Coburn was brought to Massachusetts General Hospital where Annese said he is doing well, sitting up and awaiting bypass surgery.”It’s a huge thrill to see him come around, especially since he’s one of us.” Blanchard said. “He’s not a firefighter, but we share a building, we see him all the time. It’s a huge win for everyone.”