DATE OF INCIDENT: 5/30/2009
INCIDENT TYPE: Information
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 44 West Riverside
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99201
NARRATIVE: Results of the SFD 2009 Meritorious Awards Ceremony Held on May 30, 2009
RETIREES:
Fire Lieutenant David Batty
Fire Lieutenant Richard Carlson
Fire Equipment Operator Gary Holmes
Medic Bing Preston
Information Analyst Roger Sothen
Firefighter Craig Sullivan
Fire Equipment Operator Jack Tritt
PROMOTIONS
Fire Equipment Operator Jesse Ayotte
Accountant II Lori Bryant
Fire Equipment Operator Brian Chavez
Fire Lieutenant Paul Edens
Fire Equipment Operator Charles D. Harbin
Fire Equipment Operator Christopher Long
Fire Lieutenant Emmett McNamee
Fire Lieutenant Jamie Newcomb
Fire Captain Ryan Reding
Fire Equipment Operator Fred Schoenfeld
Fire Lieutenant Tracy Schoenleber
Fire Equipment Operator Tony K. Yuen
Local 29 Meritorious Service Award (1 Award Issued)
Criteria: Local 29 Meritorious Service Award is selected by members of Local 29 in recognition of special dedication in the service of the members of IAFF Local 29.
RECIPIENT: Firefighter John Griffith
Citizen Community Life Saving Award (11 Awards Issued)
Criteria: The Citizen Community Life-Saving Award may be granted to any member of the community who aids in saving the life of another within the City of Spokane.
RECIPIENTS: Ross Boatsman and Greg Mechals - Citizen Community Life-Saving
Mr. Boatsman and Mr. Mechals were at the neighborhood flower shop and noticed smoke from the apartment next door. Both men forced entry into the apartment and were able to use an extinguisher to knock down the fire. After knocking down the fire, they heard what was described as "moaning" and made entry into the apartment. They located Mr. Laverman quickly and were able to successfully remove him from the apartment in smoky conditions.
The men started CPR, which they continued until the Fire Department's arrival.
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RECIPIENTS: Frankie Ghee, Dave Paulson & Jessica Gaddy - Citizen Community Life-Saving
On September 19, 2008 at 07:34, SE-15 responded to Shaw Middle School at 4106 N. Cook St. on a reported unconscious male. Upon arrival, they found gentleman in cardiac arrest. Three citizens were taking turns performing CPR. They were co-workers and personal friends of the victim. The resuscitation efforts on scene were intensive including needing to defibrillate the patient 7 times. These three individuals remained on scene throughout the incident and assisted the crew. The patient survived and was taken to Holy Family Hospital where he was stabilized and taken to Deaconess for further cardiac care.
Without these three individuals performing CPR prior to SFD interventions, Captain Clinger felt this man's chances to survive would have been severely diminished.
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RECIPIENTS: Citizen Dan Jones and Off-Duty Police Officer Daniel Lesser - Citizen Community Life-Saving
On January 10, 2008, Senior Police Officer Daniel Lesser was off duty, and attending his daughter's soccer practice at the indoor soccer center, located at 5900 N. Market. Suncrest resident Dan Jones, whose daughter was on the same team as SPO Lesser's daughter was also attending the practice. A few minutes after arriving Theresa Duddy came back into the training facility and told SPO Lesser and Dan Jones that she believed her father was having a heart attack. SPO Lesser, along with Dan Jones responded immediately to the parking lot where they found Mr. Duddy sitting in the driver's seat of his car, unresponsive. They moved Mr. Duddy out of the car, resting him on the ground. SPO Lesser checked his vital signs. Finding that he had no pulse and was not breathing, he decided to start CPR.
SPO Lesser quickly directed another onlooker to call 911 and then directed Dan Jones to start rescue breathing on Mr. Duddy. While completing chest compressions, SPO Lesser directed another person to dial Police Radio. Once this was completed, the phone was held to SPO Lesser's ear while he talked to the radio supervisor, explaining the situation and requesting medics expedite their response. SPO Lesser and Dan Jones continued CPR for more than five minutes until the first Fire Department unit arrived.
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RECIPIENT: Amanda Fjermestad (9 y/o) - Citizen Community Life-Saving
On the late afternoon of August 16, 2008 Amanda Fjermestad found her 3 y/o sister, facedown in the pool. Amanda jumped in with her clothes, swam to her sister and rescued her. CPR was started prior to the FD's arrival and her sister was successfully revived.
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RECIPIENT: Josh Myers - Citizen Community Life-Saving
On January 6, 2009, just before midnight, PL 13 responded to a call for a car fire on North Belt. Upon arrival, they found a car that ran off the road up a snow bank well involved in fire. After extinguishing the fire they learned that Josh Myers found the driver of the vehicle passed out at the wheel with fire in the engine compartment and was unable to open the doors as they were locked. He picked up a snow shovel and broke out a window to get the doors unlocked and pulled the driver to safety. Josh lives just a couple of houses down from the incident with his mother who was also on scene. Upon the FD's arrival, fire had spread into the passenger compartment with dense smoke. Had Josh not acted, the driver would have certainly perished.
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RECIPIENTS: Carol Parks and John Page- Citizen Community Life-Saving
On the evening of March 24th, 2008, Mr. Robert Downs was sitting at his desk. He went unconscious, slumped to the floor, and stopped breathing. This bystander reacted immediately. 911 was called, and CPR was initiated. Upon SE3's arrival, CPR was still in progress. They immediately attached their LifePack, showing V-Fib and initiated 1 shock converting the pt back to a sinus rhythm with pulses.
Because of their concern for a fellow citizen and their willingness and ability to perform CPR, there is no doubt that their actions are directly responsible for Mr. Downs being alive today. Their actions reflect greatly upon themselves and their community. (Mr. Downs was present for the award presentation)
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Distinguished Conduct Award (2 Awards Issued)
The Distinguished Conduct Award may be awarded to any member of SFD who has acted with professionalism and efficiency when faced with a specific danger or adversity.
RECIPIENTS: Firefighter Andrea Kernkamp and Firefighter/Paramedic DJ Hill.
On October 30th, Firefighters Andrea Kernkamp and DJ Hill responded at the request of BC Hanna to assist at the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving a horse trailer near Division and Ermina. Hanna specifically requested Andrea & D. J. due in large part of their horse experience.
On Chief Hanna's arrival of the accident he found multiple people trying to get a horse, which had slipped to the floor of a two-horse trailer, up from the floor. They were getting nowhere as the horse kept slipping back down. The horse appeared to be extremely tired and possibly injured. He requested a veterinarian for any injuries or sedation that might be needed. Kernkamp and Hill immediately went to evaluate the horse's condition. Andrea jumped up into the head house of the horse trailer to comfort the horse. She remained there throughout the incident. Hill and Kernkamp helped direct the cutting of the center divider to provide room and also of the rear center trailer door support. Hill took direct control of the extrication efforts by making sure personnel working around the horse were protected by a backboard and small ladder (so not to be kicked).
After the horse was removed from the trailer, Hill & Kernkamp arranged to pay the veterinarian, arranged and paid for a room for the out-of-towners (with SFD Foundation Fund) and drove Kernkamp's truck and horse trailer with the horse to the Mt. Spokane Large Animal Facility. Hill and Kernkamp's professionalism and compassion during this incident led to a successful conclusion and represented the Spokane Fire Department in the most positive and much appreciated way.
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Medal of Valor (1 Award Issued)
The Medal of Valor is awarded to a member of SFD who, in the line of duty distinguishes him in the performance of an act of courage involving risk of imminent serious physical injury, with knowledge of such risk, for the purpose of saving or protecting human life.
In this case, the Medal of Valor was awarded to Firefighter Shawn Poole. On the morning of July 24th 2008 Shawn responded as the acting officer of Engine 4 to a dumpster fire at the Joel Building. A smoldering dumpster was discovered in the alley off of Post Street on the north side of the Joel Building. As they investigated further, it initially appeared as if the fire might have extended into the Joel Building basement through an electrical conduit. The front door of the Joel Building was breached with only a very faint presence of smoke encountered and no heat detected on the ground floor. Shawn and FF Darin Neiwert advanced an uncharged lead through the building to the northeast corner where the stairwell to the basement was located. The stairwell was constructed such that a landing was located on the ground floor with stairs leading up to the next level as well as stairs leading down to the basement with the door to the basement being at the bottom of the stairs rather than the top. After shining their lights down the stairwell, only a very light trace of smoke was present. Poole and Neiwert went on air and were set to advance the lead into the basement and search for any possible fire. FF Neiwert was to pull the lead to the bottom of the stairs and check the door for heat while Poole pulled and positioned the hose along the hallway on the ground floor to ensure easy deployment once in the basement. Poole began pulling hose while FF Neiwert stepped down onto the landing to make his way to the bottom of the stairs when the floor beneath him gave way. He fell through the floor with his air pack and armpits getting caught up on the floor joists. Looking down it was discovered that the basement was completely involved with heavy fire present. Poole heard the floor give way and immediately ran back to the stairwell, stepped down onto the joists and lifted Neiwert out of the hole. Upon exiting the whole, heavy fire came through the breach reaching the ceiling of the ground floor.
FF Poole's actions demonstrate the highest ideals of the fire service in preserving life and also depict the willingness to place the life of a fellow firefighter above one's self.
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Purple Heart (1 Award Issued)
The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of SFD who, in the line of duty, sustains a serious injury and requires immediate treatment by a physician or hospital.
While operating same incident as above, which ended up being a third alarm, plus incident, FF Poole was injured seriously when he stepped into a stairwell obscured by smoke and fell. FF Poole suffered serious injuries to his chest and knee which resulted in admission into the hospital.
For his actions at this incident FF Poole meets the requirements for award of a Purple Heart. This was the first Purple Heart awarded in the SFD's 125-Year History. FF Poole was not able to be present as he is currently serving and protecting our country as an Army LTC in Iraq. Poole's wife, Teresa and family accepted on his behalf.
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PROBABLE CAUSE: N/A
DAMAGE EXTENT: N/A
DOLLAR LOSS: 0
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 0
MUTUAL AID: None Given
For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com
END OF RELEASE
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