Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Shelley Osterloh ReportingEmergency Medical Service workers save lives every day, and once a year, the best of the best are honored at an awards ceremony. Many incidents were highlighted this year. They are events and rescues you've heard about in the news.
In an emergency we call for help of police, firefighters, paramedics, EMT's, search and rescue. They are the first responders who, in those critical first few minutes, can save a life.
September of 2005, a van carrying Utah State University agriculture students and an instructor on a fieldtrip, rolled. Of the eleven people on board, only three survived the crash. A dozen agencies respond to the accident scene, among them teams from Tremonton, Garland, Plymouth, Thatcher Penrose, Box Elder County and the Utah Highway Patrol.
Awards Presenter: "The teamwork, caring response and professionalism demonstrated by all those who responded demonstrated exemplary skills in very trying situation."
Bonni Crossen, EMT/Firefigher, Thatcher Penrose Fire Dept.: "The boy I worked on, I actually knew. He went through the EMT training with me and he is one of the survivors; he is here today. A wonderful young man, I was very honored to be there to help him through his time of need."
A group of emergency workers from Davis County, Farmington, Primary and Life Flight helped a grandfather successfully deliver a one-pound premature baby.
Grandpa Fox: "They brought this peace you can't imagine. When they walked into the door, I said, 'The angels came.' Thank you, thank you for your help."
And it was January 21st in a daring mid mountain rescue that seven stranded and injured Korean hikers were plucked from the peak of Mt. Olympus. Again, a group was honored: Life Flight, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Search and Rescue, Unified Fire and Gold Cross. Life Flight's Mike Quinones was the rescuer on the end of the cable lifting hikers to safety.
Mike Quinones, Life Flight: "We don't do it to be recognized. We do it because it's in our blood and that's kind of what we do for a living, we enjoy helping other people."
Awards were given in 13 different categories, and some of the people whose lives were saved were there to say thanks. That has got to be the greatest reward.
