PHOTO PROVIDED Andy Novick

According to Dave Strickler, Andy Novick is a “literal life saver.”

“Any of the volunteers would have done what was necessary to keep attendees happy,” Strickler, the president of the Billtown Blues Association, told the Sun-Gazette.

In one case, it was finding Novick for assistance for a medical emergency.

At Friday night’s performances, an attendee camper from western Pennsylvania was feeling discomfort.

“Thinking it was indigestion, (he) let it pass until greater concern set in,” according to a news release.

The Billtown Blues Festival has had in attendance for the past several years, traveling all the way from New Hampshire, Novick, a certified medical attendant with an abundance of qualifying credentials. Novick’s camping/first aid tent was in a prominent location where everyone in the camping area had to pass by. The attendee’s son found and summoned Novick to his father’s aid.

Novick’s evaluation led to calling 911. Within minutes, Hughesville’s ambulance and paramedics arrived.

“The recommendation by all the medical professionals (was) the attendee should go to the hospital, that advice was not heeded,” according to the news release.

An hour later, another concerning episode happened, and the medical personnel were summoned again. The attendee was re-evaluated and, as a result, transported to UPMC Williamsport, then flown by helicopter to UPMC Pittsburgh for emergency heart surgery.

The patient’s family reports the “patient is doing well and is out of the danger zone.”

Time was of the essence in this case, and had Novick’s expertise not been available, the ending may not have been so positive.

“Thinking back on this series of events, we could not help but to flash back to that initial call in 2019 when Novick called the BBA office asking if he could come to the fest and provide his service in exchange for a weekend camping package,” organizers of the festival said in the news release.

“Such a call was out-of-the-ordinary and was not taken seriously. Novick’s persistence right up to festival day that year eventually won over, and we accepted his request.”

Bonnie Tallman said that Novick was a “very persistent person” as he called in frequently during that summer to offer his services.

Novick, the news release said, has become a valued member of the Billtown Blues Festival family. He is a life-long music fan and considers the Billtown Blues Festival at the top of his favored festivals list.

“He recognizes the sincere friendliness of our staff and volunteers, the impeccable organization as our backbone, the focus on detail that is the foundation of everything we do, the quality of talent presented and our commitment to support our mission of perpetuating the valued and indigenous blues art form as his reasons,” the news release said.

“Novick is now considered part of the Billtown Blues family,” Tallman said in an interview. “He is wonderful with lots of knowledge and credentials.”

“The local medical responders, the local police and Novick worked as a team to save a man’s life,” the news release said. “This incident could happen anywhere, anytime, but until it happens before your own eyes in your own backyard, so to speak, the important work of all medical personnel is often taken for granted and not appreciated. A public ‘thank you’ to the Hughesville Ambulance Association and Paramedics and, of course, Andy Novick.”