St. Louis Fire Department's Lifesaving Awards 2011

The St. Louis Fire Department Honor Guard presents the colors at the beginning of the Lifesaving Awards Ceremony on May 17, 2011.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

St. Louis Public Safety Director Charles Bryson addresses the honorees at the Lifesaving Awards Ceremony on May 17, 2011.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

Paramedic Christian Yacula and EMT Chris Dimza receive the Chris Walsh Award from Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson and Public Safety Director Charles Bryson.  Walsh was a well-liked medic who was activated to serve in the Middle East.  He was killed serving his country.  The award honors heroic actions above and beyond the line of duty.  Yacula and Dimza risked their own well being while valiantly removing injured, trapped and unconscious patients from a fully involved vehicle fire. Several fatalities were avoided that Mother's Day in 2009.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

Paramedics Christine Dooley and Bhavin Mehta listen as Ned Fryer tells the audience how they responded to a call for chest pain at a place of business where a male employee was feeling ill.  While speaking with the patient, he went into cardiac arrest.  After being shocked, only once, the patient had return of spontaneous circulation.  Also on stage with Dooley and Mehta (from left) are Fire Chief Jenkerson, J. Curtis Engler, Public Safety Director Charles Bryson and Rebecca Davis.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

J. Curtis Engler, Public Safety Director Charles Bryson, Rebecca Davis and Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson congratulate Paramedic Crew Chief James Thompson (2nd from right), EMT Denise Travis (right) and Members of Engine 10B (Capt. Mark Chrun, FF Irving Moorehead, FF Cedric Ross and FF/EMT Brad Gentry) for their team effort responding to a female patient in full cardio pulmonary arrest.  The patient had return of spontaneous circulation and even began breathing on her own.

Photo by Bill Greenblatt

Rebecca Davis (l) congratulates Members of Engine 8 (Capt. James Shepard, FF Jeff Cawthon, FF Kevin Herdler, FF/Paramedic Corey Meyer) and Firefighter/EMT David Smith (3rd from left).  Not pictured is former employee EMT Dan McKelvey.  All were recognized for their work on resuscitating an unconscious patient as discovered by his co-workers.

Photo by Bill Greenblatt

From left, Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, J. Curtis Engler, Public Safety Director Charles Bryson, Rebecca Davis and Firefight William Wicker listen as Ned Fryer (at podium) relates the heroic efforts of FF Wicker who was at St. Alexus Hospital when he heard breaking glass, turned to see a building on fire and with the assistant of St. Alexus employees, began an evacuation of the adjoining homes on that block.  During the process, FF Wicker found a woman in a wheelchair who could not get out.  He carried the woman to an open window, handed her to one of the security guards and saved the woman from imminent danger.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

Rebecca Davis of the Lifesaving Foundation applauds as the heroic acts of Firefighters Mark Nagel, Jacob Brockmeir and Peter Perry are told to the audience.  While on the scene of a fire, FF Nagel found an unconscious adult female lying on the floor, overcome due to the smoke and heat.  With assistance from FFs Brockmeir & Perry the victim was removed from the hazardous enviornment and resuscitation efforts were started.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

Public Safety Director Charles Bryson shakes hands with and congratulates Capt. Jim Dietrich as he comes up on stage to receive his Lifesaving Award.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski

Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, J. Curtis Engler, Public Safety Director Charles Bryson, Rebecca Davis and Capt. Jim Dietrich listen to emcee Ned Fryer tell how upon arrival at a fire, Capt. Dietrich heard someone from inside the building yelling for help.  Capt. Dietrich pried open the security bars from the rear door, located the victim, and dragged him from the building to where first aid and oxygen therapy were administered.

Photo by Bill Greenblatt

Paramedic Crew Chief Colin McCoy (far right)and EMT Shawn Davis (2nd from right)are joined by Members of Engine 20 on stage for the Lifesaving Award presentation.  McCoy, Davis, EMT Matt Sleet and the members of E20C (Capt. Charlie Hoffman, Firefighters Ned Alexander, Pete Selvey, Joe Ross and the late Firefighter/EMT Tim Miller were recognized for their efforts to resuscitate a pastor in full cardiopulmonary arrest on the stage of his church.  The patient was taken to SLU Hospital where he had a spontaneous return to circulation.

Photo by Cathy Smentkowski