DES MOINES—Governor Tom Vilsack honored 37 Iowans with the Governor’s Lifesaving Awards at the Iowa State Fair on Friday, August 9, 2002. The recipients were recognized for their extraordinary courage and valor in helping others.

Sixteen-year-old Benjamin McNeill , and fifteen-year-old Kole Kromminga , both of Monticello, will receive a Meritorious Service award for their quick actions in assisting their friend, Ian Kintzle, after suffering a fractured vertebrae from a traffic incident. Kromminga placed the 911 call, while McNeill made sure Kintzle remained still to prevent puncturing his spinal cord which would result in paralysis.

Scott McClain , of Altoona, will receive a Meritorious Service award for performing CPR on a co-worker after he collapsed in the mechanics shop. Thanks to Scott’s quick reaction, his co-worker was revived and is doing well.

Arlene Olson , of Alexander, and Steven Snow , of Swaledale, will receive Meritorious Service awards. Both are equipment operators for the Department of Transportation and will be recognized for their alert actions in discovering Lindsay Thomas following a car accident five-days previous. Olson radioed for medical help while Snow stayed with Thomas until the help arrived.

Phillip E. Treanor , of Des Moines, will receive a Meritorious Service award for performing CPR on a fellow ice fisher. Treanor, along with his son, Brad and three other men discovered Mr. Kenneth Scheumann had fallen into the water. These men worked together to pull Scheumann out. Once out of the water Treanor preformed CPR until medical help arrived. Sadly enough, Scheumann passed away two days later due to complications from a heart attack.

Kim Jepsen , of Ida Grove, will receive a Meritorious Service award for her bravery. Jepsen rescued her aunt from her burning home, saving her from serious injury after an explosion in her kitchen. Jepsen escorted her aunt to a home across the street to call for medical help.

Ten-year-old Matthew Gade , of Whitemore, will receive a Meritorious Service award for his bravery in giving aid and comfort to his classmates after their school bus was involved in an accident. The bus was hit broadside with fifteen to eighteen students aboard. The accident caused panic and shock with the passengers. Gade used his new leather jacket to stop a deep wound from bleeding to one of the injured and rendered first aid to the other children.

Dane Bjugan , of Mason City, will receive a Meritorious Service award. Bjugan, a Department of Transportation employee, discovered Eugenie Lynch after her car had rolled off of Interstate 35 during a serious storm. The car was carried across the interstate and ended up against a fence. With low visibility and dense fog, Lynch was hard to spot by passing cars. Bjugan found her and radioed for assistance. While waiting for help to arrive, he worked to keep her warm and from going into shock. After Lake Mills police arrived, Lynch was taken the hospital and made a complete recovery.

Earl Ogden , of Huxley, and Pat Rouse , of Jewell, will receive a Meritorious Service award for their quick action in calling 911, and rendering first aid to Stan Mulder after an attempted car hijacking. Ogden and Rouse, both Department of Transportation employees, witnessed the hijacking and physical abuse and notified EMS. Mulder was taken to the hospital where he received further emergency care.

Vilsack will present fifteen-year-old Eric Bruhn , of Cylinder, an Outstanding Service award. Bruhn, is credited with saving the life of his younger brother who received an electrical shock from an air compressor. Bruhn, recognizing his brother was unconscious, pulled him away from the compressor and ran to get help. Because of the brave actions of Bruhn, his younger brother is alive today.

Four-year-old Zach Van Den Top , of Rock Valley, will receive an Outstanding Service award for alerting his mother to a fire in the upstairs of their home. His quick actions allowed his mother to rescue her nine-month-old daughter and tried to rescue Zach from the basement but could not. When the firefighters arrived, they rescued Zach. Thanks to Zach’s courageous efforts, the entire family is safe.

Christopher Miller , of Des Moines, will receive an Outstanding Service award for saving the life of his roommate from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Miller dialed 911 after being awakened by the loud gunshot and rendered first aid to his roommate as directed by the dispatcher until paramedics arrived.

Four-year-old Ryan Smith , of North English, will receive an Outstanding Service award for saving the life of his father after they had been in an accident where their tractor overturned and rolled on the top of them. Ryan was able to crawl out and run home to alert his mother of the accident. His sister, Brittney, called 911, and his father was air lifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Thanks to the courageous efforts of Ryan, his father is alive and doing well.

Eleven-year-old Katelyn Pfeifer , of Milford, will receive an Outstanding Service award for attempting to perform CPR (that she learned in a baby-sitting course) on her grandmother after she went into cardiac arrest. Katelyn stayed with her grandmother and called 911. Her grandmother is alive and doing well.

James Holden , of Scranton, and Mary Joan Kluesner, of Ames, will receive an Outstanding Service award for rescuing fellow camper, Jon Morris, from drowning. Holden jumped in the pool and pulled Jon out of the water. Kluesner then performed CPR until Morris coughed up water and began to breathe on his own. When the paramedics arrived Morris was taken to the local hospital where he recovered that same day.

Stephen Klopfenstein , of Richland, Joe Kaldenberg, of Pella, Michael Vanee, of Pella, and Roger Vorhies, of Fairfield will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for rendering assistance at the scene of a serious car accident. These four men rolled a burning car off of the driver, and then Klopfenstein retrieved a fire extinguisher from his car to put out the fire. The driver of the car sustained severe burns to his face and underwent emergency surgery at Pella Hospital and continues to recover from this serious accident.

Steve Millward , of Boone, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for his bravery in rescuing Mike Bell from a life-threatening situation in 41 degree water. Millard discovered Bell having trouble while fishing and jumped in the cold water to help save his life.

Ian Hager , of Chariton, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for his quick actions in responding to Tiffany Graves in her time of need. Hager discovered Graves at the bottom of the pool, swam to get her and brought her back up to the surface. A registered nurse at the pool performed CPR on Graves. Hager has since recovered.

Robert Clymer , of Prairie City, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for his bravery in rescuing Ricky Beyers from a life-threatening situation in 46 degree water. The two men were boating and after they had ended for the day, Beyers was in the boat when a wake hit the rear of the boat and started to sink. Beyers went under water and tried to swim to shore but his ability was lessened due to the cold temperatures. Clymer jumped in the water and pushed Beyers to shore, saving his life.

Amanda Hart , of Iowa City, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for saving the life of a six-year old boy from drowning. Hart was altered of the situation and immediately dove into the pool to retrieve the boy. Once out of the water, she began performing CPR. When the paramedics arrived on the scene, they told Hart that if it were not for her quick actions the young boy would have died. Hart credits her knowledge of CRP to her high school physical education instructor.

Ron Pettit, Bryan Pettit , of Solon, and David Jensen , of Newton, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for their bravery and quick actions in saving the lives of Robert Roberge and Lezlee Magee after their semi tractor-trailer went off of the road. All three men stopped at the scene of the accident and rendered assistance by pulling the victims out of the semi tractor-trailer before the wreckage was engulfed in flames.

Matthew F. Lenaghan, Robert Conroy both of Urbandale, and Dennis Norman , of Des Moines, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving award for saving the life of co-worker, Sherry Pentico. Lenaghan discovered Pentico unconscious and began to perform chest compressions, and Norman began rescue breathing, but there was no response. Conroy retrieved the artificial external defibrillator (AED) and the men began AED shock tests. After one shock test, the CPR continued and Pentico became semi-responsive. When the paramedics arrived, Pentico was taken to Mercy Medical Center where she underwent double bypass surgery.

Michael Harris , of Ames, and James Moore , of Nevada, will receive the Governor’s Valor award for their live saving actions in rescuing Gary Raisch from his burning semi tractor-trailer. Harris and Moore witnessed the accident. Moore tried to remove the victim from the semi tractor-trailer, while Harris called 911 and then went to assist Moore. After Raisch was removed the men carried him a safe distance away from the scene. Raisch was hospitalized for treatment and released after a short stay.

Seventeen-year-old Michael Smith , of Deep River, and seventeen-year-old Earl Taylor , of Montezuma, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving with Valor award for their bravery and risking of their own lives to rescue four victims after their car caught on fire following a serious accident on Interstate 80.

Brandon Trapp , and Joseph M. Stepanek , both of Manchester, will receive the Governor’s Lifesaving with Valor award for their heroic assistance is saving the lives of Lisa, Tyler and Megan Ellison. The family was in a head-on collision and the car rolled into the ditch. Trapp and Stepanek freed the family from their seatbelts to safety minutes before the car was engulfed in flames. For their heroic actions, the family is with us today.