Thursday, August 09, 2007
Governor Culver To Honor Iowa Heros Tomorrow
DES MOINES, Iowa – Governor Chet Culver and Public Safety Commissioner Gene Meyer will pay tribute to 25 Iowans at the 2007 Governor’s Lifesaving Awards tomorrow. Held annually as part of the Iowa State Fair, the event honors Iowans whose quick actions and selfless service resulted in the saving of a life.
“Iowans are united by a common bond - a never ending commitment to serving our fellow citizens,” said Governor Culver. “This spirit can be seen in many ways all across our state, including putting one’s own life at risk to save a fellow Iowan in need. I am honored to present this award to these 25 Iowa heroes who have saved lives through their own shown strength and courage. These individuals embody the Iowa spirit of service.”
The Governor's Lifesaving Awards Ceremony recognizes citizens who helped a friend or neighbor in critical need of assistance. There are four categories in which honorees are recognized: lifesaving with valor, lifesaving, meritorious service and outstanding service. List of categories are as follows:
Lifesaving With Valor: Award is presented to those persons who, while risking their own life, saved
the lives of others;
Lifesaving: Award is given to those who have saved the lives of others without apparent risk to their
own life;
Meritorious Service: Award is presented to those individuals who have rendered expeditious service in a
time of emergency;
Outstanding Service: Award is presented to persons who have performed a courageous act in an attempt to
save an individual who was in danger of losing his or her life or an unselfish service rendered in time of emergency and
not necessarily life threatening.
To be eligible for the award, individuals must have performed a heroic act between January 1, 2006 and April 30, 2007. Nominees must be residents of Iowa and should not be professionally trained in lifesaving techniques, such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel.
All nominations for the Lifesaving Awards Program are thoroughly investigated by the Iowa State Patrol with a report issued on their eligibility. Reports of investigations are presented to a committee representing the Office of the Governor, which makes recommendations to the Governor as to what awards, if any, should be given. Following review, invitations are the extended to those nominees chosen as award recipients.
2007 Recipients of the Governor’s Lifesaving Award
John Prichard – Outstanding Service Award
Stuart, Iowa
On May 31st, 2006, Tawnya Jensen was on her way home, driving from Des Moines to Stuart on Interstate 80. Her 12 year old son, John Pritchard, and his friend, Sam Miller, were riding in the backseat when John realized something was wrong with his mom and the car was swerving.
John crawled into the front seat and attempted to get hold of the steering wheel, but was unable too because his mother was in the way. He instead was able to put the car, which is a stick-shift, into neutral. At this time he didn’t know whether to steer the car into the ditch or stay on the interstate. Sam told him to hold it steady because they were slowing down. The car then coasted to a stop on the shoulder of Interstate-80.
While all of this was going on, two Wal-mart semi truck drivers had noticed the car swerving back and forth across both lanes and that the driver was having trouble. One of the men called 911, then both drivers drove their trucks side by side behind the swerving car so that other cars could not advance. The Dallas County EMS and DeSoto First Responders arrived and transported Tawnya to a Des Moines hospital.
John Prichard will be receiving the Governor’s Outstanding Service Award for his brave actions during a potentially deadly situation.
Lynn E. Swett – Lifesaving with Valor Award
Story City, Iowa
John Kazwell – Lifesaving with Valor Award
Ames, Iowa
Brian Thompson – Lifesaving with Valor Award
Ames, Iowa
Suzanne Thompson – Meritorious Service Award
Ames, Iowa
Elroy and Jane Jensen were driving home from church on September 17, 2006, heading eastbound on West Riverside Road approaching Highway 69 north of Ames. Elroy Jensen was driving and for unknown reasons, went through the intersection for Highway 69 and West Riverside Road. The Jensens’ vehicle went down an embankment and across a walking path at Ada Hayden Park. The van then continued west and ended up in the lake at the park. Lynn Swett, John Kazwell, Brian Thompson, and Suzanne Thompson all stopped at the scene to assist. After Lynn, John, and Brian entered the water and swam out to the van, they were able to get Mrs. Jensen out of the vehicle and back to shore safely with the assistance of Suzanne Thompson, who had entered the lake to help pull Jane Jensen to shore.
They were unsuccessful at freeing Mr. Jensen before the vehicle sank into the lake. The three men Swam back to shore exhausted and upset. At that time someone on shore noticed Mr. Jensen had floated to the surface and was face down in the water. Lynn, John, and Brian swam out to Elroy Jensen, turned him over and brought him to shore where Ames Police Department officers began CPR until paramedics arrived on scene.
Lynn Swett, John Kazwell, Brian Thompson will be presented with the Governor’s Lifesaving with Valor Award for saving the lives of Elroy and Jane Jensen without regard to their own safety, and Suzanne Thompson will be presented with the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for her assistance in rescuing the Jensens.
Todd E. Dillon – Lifesaving with Valor Award
Alden, Iowa
On April 29, 2007, Todd Dillon, a sophomore at Ellsworth Community College, was driving through town when he saw two little girls and their mom yelling and waving their arms. Thinking that something happened to the girls, he jumped out of his truck and ran to the riverbank. That is where he saw a canoe out in the middle of the dam, already bent in half by the powerful floodwaters.
Todd saw his good friend, Drew Goodknight, stuck in a current at the dam, hanging onto two life jackets. He told Drew to keep hanging onto the life jackets and thought that he would be ok. Then he noticed another man (later recognized as Levi) who had been sucked into the whirlpool, so he ran around to the west side to get under the bridge and try to catch him. Todd didn’t have shoes on and waded out about 10 feet, the water knocked him over but he was able to get back up and then braced himself. He could not see Levi at first but caught sight of his white shorts and was able to grab him and pull him up over the rocks to the shore, then turned him over on his back. Realizing that Levi did not have a pulse, he immediately began CPR, and after several minutes, Levi took a little breath. He wasn’t sure if it was Levi or himself, but then Levi began taking a breath every three seconds or so and his color was coming back. This is when the paramedics took over and by the time they got to the top of the bank, he heard Levi talking to the paramedics as they put him in the ambulance.
Tragically, the other two men did not survive the deadly waters.
Todd Dillon, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving Award of Valor for his brave actions in saving the life of Levi Wendland without regard to his own safety.
Kristin Robbins – Outstanding Service Award
Grinnell, Iowa
On July 21st, 2003, ten-year-old Kristen Robbins was swimming at a local pool while her mom was giving swim lessons to a group of children. There were several other children swimming nearby when Kristen noticed some younger girls who looked scared. She swam over to them in the 4 ˝ feet of water. One of the girls told Kristen that their friend was drowning, and she could see four-year-old Elizabeth Coleman at the bottom of the pool.
Without even hesitating, Kristen swam to the bottom of the pool and pulled Elizabeth to the top and held her there until an adult named Kerry Moore was able to take Elizabeth out of the pool. She was not breathing at the time, but she did have a pulse. Kristen’s mother, Karen, began mouth to mouth resuscitation on Elizabeth while other people called 911. When emergency personnel arrived, Elizabeth was breathing and sitting up.
Later Kristen made a comment to her dad; “I had to kick real hard Dad, to get to the top.”
Kristen Robbins is being awarded with the Governor’s Outstanding Service Award for her brave and unselfish actions in saving the life of Elizabeth Coleman.
Anthony Keller – Outstanding Service Award
Union, Iowa
On May 17, 2006, at approximately 2:30 a.m., 18-year-old Anthony Keller, woke up coughing and when he sat up in bed, he realized the house was full of smoke. He yelled “fire” a couple of times and ran down the stairs to wake his mom up. They both ran outside of the house and his mom used a cordless phone to call 911. They realized his 12 year-old and 16 year-old sisters were still in the burning house, and without any hesitation, he covered his mouth, ran back into the house and up the stairs to Michele’s room. Both Michelle and Rebecka were huddled together holding pieces of clothing to their mouths so they could breathe better.
Anthony guided them down the stairs and out of the house. By the time firefighters arrived, the house was totally engulfed in flames and it took several hours for them to extinguish the fire.
On the night of the fire, Anthony’s mom, Melinda, had washed rags from their family business and then placed them into a laundry basket in the living room. The Canola Oil that was on the rags began to smolder inside of the basket and that is apparently what caused the fire.
Anthony Phillip Keller is being awarded with the Governor’s Outstanding Service Award for his quick and unselfish actions when he alerted his mom, and then rescued his sisters from their burning home.
John Blizzard – Lifesaving with Valor Award
Newton, Iowa
Colleen Ewell – Lifesaving Award
Ames, Iowa
Matt Wilcox – Meritorious Service Award
Fort Dodge, Iowa
On July 9, 2006, Megan Pavelick and Jennifer & Catherine Manser were floating on inner tubes down the Des Moines River in Boone County. As the girls neared the Boone Water Treatment plant they heard the sound of running water. When they realized the sound they heard was the dam they didn’t believe they were in any danger. They floated over the dam in their inner tubes. Jennifer & Catherine made it over without any problems but Megan fell off her tube.
Megan began to struggle in the water’s strong current. The girls believed Megan had hit her head when she fell off the inner tube. John Blizzard was standing on the east side of the river fishing; he jumped in to help Megan. He swam to the middle of the dam to help her, but soon became overwhelmed by the current. Colleen Ewell had made her way out to the middle of the dam to help. She grabbed John and was able to grab Megan, too. Colleen helped John and Megan to the east shore where several people assisted in bringing both John and Megan to shore. Arthur Chambers and Matt Wilcox helped bring Megan ashore and performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
Jennifer and Catherine said despite some difficulty they were able to reach shore themselves. Witnesses stated that in his efforts to help Megan, John Blizzard almost drowned himself. Megan was transported to the Boone County Hospital by ambulance and later airlifted to Mercy Hospital where, tragically, she later died that evening.
John Blizzard will be honored with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award of Valor for his heroic attempts in saving the life of Megan Pavelick without regard to his own safety. Colleen Ewell will be awarded with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for rescuing John Blizzard and Megan Pavelick. Matt Wilcox will receive the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for his assistance in getting John and Megan out of the water as well as helping with CPR.
Karl Schroeder – Meritorious Service Award
Ossian, Iowa
On January 12, 2007, at approximately 10:30 a.m. the Decorah Police Department responded to a motor vehicle accident on Division Street in Decorah. The report came into the dispatch center via the OnStar dispatch system associated with many vehicles. Several 911 calls also came in reporting it as a car fire. As the officers arrived on the scene, they observed a vehicle in the ditch with the entire engine compartment engulfed in flames. Information had been received that a person may still be in the vehicle. This was confirmed upon arrival.
Karl Schroeder had driven upon the accident and saw that it was on fire. He called 911, and then went directly to the car and opened the door and tried to talk to the occupant Olive Sims. Karl saw fire coming through the firewall and burning the carpet inside the passenger compartment. He tried to get Olive out of the car but realized she was belted in and cut the belt with a knife. He was still unable to move her because of the position the car was in. He yelled for help but no one could handle the smoke, so Karl stayed with her until the officers arrived on the scene, then he backed out of the way so the officers could do their job. He did not leave the scene until Olive was in the ambulance.
Today, Karl Schroeder is being awarded with the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for his attempt in rescuing Olive Sims from a burning car and staying with her until help arrived.
Bernard Yochum – Lifesaving Award
Batavia, Iowa
Rick Ogden – Lifesaving Award
Ottumwa, Iowa
On January 12, 2007, at 4:00 a.m., Bernard Yochum was delivering newspapers in an apartment building located on W. Finley in Ottumwa. He was on the third floor when he heard a noise and smelled smoke. He went to the fourth floor and notified Rick Ogden who he knew was awake at this time. Both of them traveled to the third floor. When both of them got close to an apartment belonging to Helen Meier, they saw smoke coming from under her door and heard her screaming for help. Mr. Yochum made the first and only call to the Ottumwa Fire Department. Because the small apartment had zero visibility due to smoke, there were no lights on in the apartment, and Helen is blind, both Bernard and Rick shouted directions to Helen to come to the door and unlock it. When she opened the door, Bernard pulled Helen to safety and then to inhale fresh air at a nearby balcony. Helen was gasping for air at this time and Bernard had singed hair on his arm from the heat coming from the apartment.
Rick took a deep breath and entered the apartment where he turned off the two burners and removed the pan that was smoking, which prevented the situation from getting worse. He was coughing once he got out of the apartment.
Firemen at the scene stated that the smoke was very heavy in the apartment. It was concluded that if Helen was in the apartment for another two to three minutes she would have become overcome by the heavy smoke and would have not survived.
Bernard Yochum and Rick Ogden will be awarded with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for their actions in saving the life of Helen Meier.
Mathew Powers – Lifesaving Award
Woodbine, Iowa
On August 3, 2006, Matthew Powers and Jared Moores met each other at the Willow Creek Spillway, north of Woodbine, to slide down the algae-covered cement that leads into the water below to cool off. Jared Moores slid down on his feet, but instead of entering the water feet-first, he fell forward. The impact knocked the wind out of his lungs causing him to suck in water when he tried to regain his breath.
Jared’s head came back up briefly, but then went back under, never resurfacing. Matthew entered the murky water and started walking around until he felt Jared’s leg and then pulled him up out of the water. Jared was not breathing so he put him over his knee and started mouth to mouth until Jared began to breathe again.
Mathew called his brother Brett, who lived down the road, to come assist. After he arrived they called 911 to the scene. Mathew also assisted Woodbine rescue with lifting Jared up the hill to the ambulance. Jared was flown from the scene to an Omaha Hospital where he was treated for four days.
Matthew’s quick action in pulling Jared from the murky water kept Jared from drowning. Even after Jared was pulled out of the water, he was still not breathing and without Matthew starting mouth to mouth, Jared would have died. After Jared regained his breath, he was still going to need medical treatment and instead of thinking he was ok, Matthew still called for help.
Matthew Powers will be awarded with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for his quick acitons in saving the life of Jared Moores.
Todd Lundgren – Lifesaving Award
Fertile, Iowa
Larry Shropshire – Lifesaving Award
Fertile, Iowa
On December 28, 2006, at approximately 5:20 p.m., Todd Lundgren and Larry Shropshire were going home from work. They were headed west on Main Street in Fertile near the dam on the Winnebago River when they noticed a child running toward the street from the river. Todd stopped his truck while Larry turned around and came back to see what had happened.
Todd then looked to the river and saw three children; Cindy Dakin, age 11, Brianna Elings, age 12, and Kelsey Lanfald, age 13, had broken through the ice a few feet above the dam and were in about 8 to 10 feet of water. Todd immediately grabbed a rope from his truck and headed toward the river with Larry.
Todd threw the rope out to the children, who were about 10 to 15 feet from the shoreline. Larry witnessed the youngest child, Cody, go under the water twice while they were trying to get the rope thrown out.
When the rope was thrown out to them, Cody’s hands were numb and it was very hard for him to grab hold of the rope. Brianna and Kelsey helped Cody hang on to the rope while Larry and Todd pulled the three of them across the ice toward the shore.
Once out of the water, Todd, Larry, and Cody’s brother helped the children out of their cold, wet, clothes, covered them with blankets and put them into warm vehicles.
Both Todd Lundgren and Larry Shropshire will be presented with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for their quick actions in rescuing and saving the lives of Cody, Brianna, and Kelsey.
Julie Klein – Lifesaving Award
Harlan, Iowa
On August 15, 2006, three boys were swimming just beyond the ropes near the beach at Prairie Rose State Park. One of the boys began to struggle and upon going under the water, attempted to pull one of the other boys with him. The boy was able to free himself but then also began to struggle to make it to shore.
Julie Klein was at the beach and was alerted to the situation in the water. Julie immediately entered the water without hesitation and retrieved the two struggling boys who were attempting to swim to shore. After doing so, Julie returned to the water and began to dive in the area where the third boy was last seen. She did so until emergency responders arrived. Tragically, the third boy was not located soon enough and did not survive.
Julie Klein, will be presented with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for her quick actions in rescuing two boys from drowning.
Eugene Krapfl - Meritorious Service Award
Earlville, Iowa
On June 19, 2006, Edmund Steppan was mowing the grass at his son’s home in Earlville, Iowa when he became ill and fell to the ground. Eugene Krapfl was driving close by, not knowing who this man was, and noticed when he fell backwards onto the ground. Eugene ran to him to see if he could help. When he asked Edmond if he could hear him, and when there was no response, he ran to his car and diled 911, and then went back to him while talking to the Manchester dispatcher and explained what he saw and was hearing. The dispatcher paged the First Responders and they soon arrived at the scene.
Eugene stayed the entire time everyone rendered aid to Edmund and until he was loaded into the ambulance. Then Eugene made sure the mower was secured in the garage before locking the garage and home. Then he wrote a note explaining who he was and included his phone number and a brief message as to what happened before placing this on the windshield for family to see.
Eugene Krapfl will be receiving the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for his quick actions in coming to the aid of Edmund Steppan and notifying First Responders.
Leon Hospodarsky – Meritorious Service Award
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
On the morning of May 31, 2006, around 5:00 a.m., Leon Hospordarsky was driving to work when he saw smoke coming out of the garage at a residence in Hiawatha. Leon Hospodarsky went to the door and rang the doorbell to awaken the occupants inside. Don Tow answered the door and Leon informed him of the smoke. Don went to the door leading to the garage from the house and at this time, the smoke detectors located in the house were not activated, however as the door was opened they went off. There were no smoke detectors installed in the garage.
As the smoke detectors were going off, Don Tow yelled to the other people inside the house about the fire in the garage and instructed them to get out of the house. Everyone was able to exit the house prior to the fire entering the house from the garage. The local fire department arrived soon after the occupants were out of the house. No one received any injuries or given first aid. The roof on the garage had started to collapse from the fire and the fire had also begun in the trusses the full length of the house.
Leon Hospodarsky will be awarded with the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for his quick actions in getting the occupants of the Tow household out of their burning home.
Terry Lee Foister – Meritorious Service Award
Sioux City, Iowa
On June 6, 2006, eighty-two year old Robert Fitzgerald was trolling alone in his fishing boat. As he trolled, another boat struck his boat from behind. The other boat rode up on top of Robert and his boat, pushing him down and submerging both him and his boat.
The operator of the other boat backed his boat off of Robert, then fled the scene. Terry Foister was nearby with his wife in their boat and they witnessed the collision. Terry immediately drove up to Robert’s partially submerged boat and seeing that Robert was injured and dangling out of the boat, he put a life jacket on and jumped into the water with an extra life jacket for Robert. After putting the lifejacket on Robert, Terry stayed with and supported him until rescue personnel arrived.
Robert had received a separated shoulder, cuts to his right hand and arm, and several other minor cuts and bruises from the collision. He never lost consciousness but was a little confused and in a mild state of shock and was able to grab a seat cushion to stay afloat until Terry arrived to help.
Terry Foister is being awarded with the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for his immediate action in rescuing Robert Fitzgerald.
Nicholas A. Bormann –Meritorious Service Award
Algona, Iowa
Jennetta L. Bormann – Meritorious Service Award
Algona, Iowa
On March 1, 2007, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Doris Mueller had gone out in a blizzard type of snowstorm to clear the ice off of her furnace vent. She had to walk through snow drifts to get to the backyard where the vent is. In the process, she fell in the snow and was unable to get back up.
Doris attempted to call for help but could not see anyone outside that could hear her. Around 6:00 p.m., she saw a neighbor about a half a block away come outside to shovel the walk. She started yelling for help, but her hopes vanished when that person walked back into her home.
Moments later, the neighbor, Jennetta Bormann, and her husband, Nicholas Bormann, came out of their house and began walking toward Doris. Once Jennetta and Nicholas were with her, they were able to get her into the garage where she could get warm, and then they called 911. Once emergency personnel arrived, she was taken to the Kossuth Regional Health Center.
Doris celebrated her 77th birthday on the 21st of March with her family with out any ill effects from her incident on March 1st.
Nicholas and Jennetta Bormann will be receiving the Governor’s Meritorious Service Award for their actions in rescuing Doris Mueller from a serious situation.
Kelly Ben-David – Lifesaving Award
Iowa City, Iowa
Stephen Blount – Lifesaving Award
Iowa City, Iowa
On March 10, 2007, the family of seven-year-old Sherry Sir was attending her birthday party at the swimming pool at a hotel in Coralville, Iowa. At approximately 7:28 p.m., Sir was swimming and playing with other children at the pool area. Sir was unable to swim but was using floatation devices called “floaties” on her arms whenever she entered the water.
Despite the close supervision of her mother and other adults at the party, Sir removed the floatation devices and entered the deep end of the pool. The other children attempted to help Sir back into the shallow end of the pool but they were unsuccessful and Sir went to the bottom of the pool.
An unrelated adult identified as Stephen Blount found Sir at the bottom of the pool not breathing and unresponsive. He quickly brought Sir to the surface and handed her to his girlfriend identified as Kelly Ben-David. Ben-David immediately administered CPR and Sir was quickly revived and placed in the recovery position until Coralville Police and the Johnson County Ambulance arrived. Sir was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals for treatment. Sir was kept in the hospital overnight for observation but suffered no permanent injuries resulting from the ordeal.
Both Kelly Ben-David and Stephen Blount will be receiving the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for saving the life of seven-year-old Sherry Sir.