Save A Life Foundation Responds to Latest Attack by ABC-7 Reporter

Save A Life Foundation Responds to Latest Attack by ABC-7 Reporter

CHICAGO, June 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Save A Life Foundation (SALF) is extremely disappointed by Chuck Goudie's ABC-7 I Team segment of May 30, 2007, which it says are merely baseless allegations and falsehoods in retaliation for a recent lawsuit filed by SALF related to the "Heimlich Family Feud." The latest Goudie segment, which aired immediately after SALF's lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court, is against Peter Heimlich, a son of Dr. Henry Heimlich. Also named in the complaint are Robert Baratz, and Jason Haap, who SALF contends worked with Peter Heimlich to spread false and defamatory allegations against the foundation. Mr. Goudie's role, based on his November 2006 report, is a central element of SALF's case against the defendants.

SALF, a Chicago based not-for-profit organization which uses local Emergency Medical Services personnel to teach children life-supporting first aid techniques, was once associated with Dr. Heimlich until his retirement from its Medical Advisory Board in January 2007.

The foundation has contended it is a merely victim of Peter Heimlich's campaign to destroy the reputation of his father. The lawsuit, and SALF's efforts to extricate itself from the Heimlich Family Feud are described in recent news stories in the Chicago Tribune, Cincinnati Inquirer and in a FOX News Chicago report.

SALF believes Mr. Goudie's motives are personal, his sources faulty, and his methods are unsound. As one example, SALF cited Mr. Goudie's interview of Julia Rickert, who he presented in his May 30 report as a former temp employee, making her own allegations against SALF. Julia Rickert has been the subject of other news reports showing her history of deception. Evidence indicates Ms. Rickert was actually working on behalf of Mr. Goudie for his segment, and is currently working as a reporter for a local Chicago newspaper.

To reassure its supporters and stakeholders Mr. Goudie's reports about SALF are not credible, the foundation's Board of Directors has assembled an Independent Evaluation Committee consisting of highly qualified and respected civic and business leaders, who will review all aspects of Mr. Goudie's reports related to the organization. The Evaluation Committee has been asked to study all information related to Mr. Goudie's broadcasts, and evaluate the facts using the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics standards. The group is expected to publicly issue its findings in the near future.

The smear campaign against SALF has taken public focus away from the real issue, which is the training of children in first aid skills. SALF believes the public should be outraged that irresponsible, unrelenting and ridiculous innuendo about SALF has shifted SALF's focus away from the thousands of children that have benefited from the important life-saving work the foundation does. Nearly 30 Chicago school children have been murdered this year alone, and SALF has been at the forefront of the efforts to teach children the skills to react in an emergency and more importantly, the value of human life. The skills, mentoring, and empowerment of these children should not be jeopardized by the self-serving motives of a handful of individuals.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Save A Life Foundation

CONTACT: Thomas G. Dicianni, Attorney, of SALF, +1-312-782-7606

Web site:

http://www.salf.org/

-------
Profile: intent