Fire Department Recognizes Life-Saving, Heroic Actions

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department held its Annual Recognition Ceremony last week and honored firefighters and civilians for distinguished and life-saving actions.

Three civilians were recognized with an Award for Distinguished Action:

• Cathy Lopez performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a heart attack victim who was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Highway 30 within the City limits in December 2016.
• Joe Rohn performed CPR on his neighbor’s 1-month old child in southwest Cedar Rapids in October 2017.
• Ryan Welty was able to assist a victim of a motor vehicle accident in Cedar Rapids by maintaining the victim’s airway and control bleeding.

Thirty-six Cedar Rapids firefighters were also recognized with an Award for Distinguished Action for saving 49 victims’ lives by performing CPR in calendar year 2016.  These firefighters were:  Cory Dillon (2), Patrick Hoyt (2), Joshua Jensen (2), Brad Cowdin (3), Daniel Lubben, Benjamin Kurka, Steve Hildebrand, Austin Hershberger, Chad Smothers, Erik Moen (2), Gregory Hankins (2), Matthew Kunkle, Jesse Lennox (2), Lucas Maas (2), Adam Kramer (2), Luke Henkle (2), Jason Longbine (2), Shane Mell (2), Loren Corrigan, Jonathan Lundquist, Dustin Fordice, Joseph Heyer, Dave Corell, Jason Campbell, Curtis Woode, Dennis Langguth, Terrance McAtee, Travis Foster, Adam Jones, Scott Wolfe, Todd Henderson, Jeremy Wagner, Pat Mick, Andrew Engelken, Matt Weldin, and John Cannon.   (Number in parenthesis indicate number of CPR saves in 2016)

Captain Erik Moen and Firefighter Bradley Cowdin were recognized with an Award for Distinguished Action for assisting in the rescue of a semi driver that went off the road into an ice-covered pond on December 8, 2016.

Firefighter Gregory Hankins, Firefighter Jeremy LaRoche, and Firefighter Joshua Tew were recognized with an Award for Distinguished Action for working as a firefighter crew to develop a two-ladder coordinated method to rescue a victim from a third-floor window of an active apartment building fire.

Fire Chief Mark English presented the Fire Chief’s Award to 8 female firefighters and fire department staff for their conceptualization and implementation of the “Fully Involved Young Women’s Fire Academy” – a fire academy to encourage young women to become career firefighters.   Those involved in the Academy included Captain Cheme Fairlie, Firefighter Julie Popelka, Firefighter Janeen Justice, Firefighter Amy Kunkle, Firefighter Megan Wichmann, Public Education Manager Nicky Stansell, Fire Specialist Molly Knock, and Public Education Specialist Diana Patten.

The Fire Department also presented Sunline, Inc. with a Letter of Commendation.  For several years, Sunline has donated hundreds of vehicles for firefighters to perform extrication training.