(Posted May 2, 2018)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
For their efforts in saving the life of a young drowning victim, members of the Madison County Emergency Medical District (EMD) and London Fire Department will receive the Ohio EMS Star of Life award.
Star of Life honors first responders whose accomplishments go above and beyond their day-to-day duties. The Ohio Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Ohio chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the Ohio Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services sponsor the award. A ceremony set for May 22 in Columbus will recognize honorees from around the state.
The drowning incident occurred in 2017. Crews were dispatched on a report of a 2-year-old boy who had drowned in a small fish pond at a home on Andrew Court in London. The boy had no pulse and was not breathing when crews arrived on the scene, according to Madison County EMD Chief Robert Olwin. Emergency personnel administered CPR then transported the victim, with a pulse, to Madison Health. From there, Care Flight transported the victim to Dayton Children’s Hospital where he made a full recovery.
Receiving recognition for their life-saving efforts in this incident are Lt. Mark Foster and firefighter/paramedic Jake Rowe of the London Fire Department and members of EMD’s Unit 1: Lt. Justin Whitehead, EMT Adam Zimmerman, and paramedics Zak Antle, Dustin Farrell, Scott Hillman, Paul Prendeville and Teri Yoder. The following Care Flight personnel also will be honored: pilot Harihar Joshi, dispatcher Pam Dersheem, and paramedics Marina Brown, Chane Chalou and Donna Shiver-Docker.
“It’s an example of what departments working together can accomplish and how the training and skill level of the people we employ makes a big difference in the community,” Olwin said.
“We’re very pleased to be recognized for the efforts of our people,” said London Fire Chief Todd Eades.
This is the second time Madison County EMD has received Star of Life recognition. Last year, the EMD’s Unit 2 personnel and members of the Central Townships Fire District were honored for their response to an incident that occurred in 2016. Together, they treated and extricated a man trapped in his semi truck following a wreck involving two other semis near I-70 and U.S. Route 42 north of London.
