PORT ANGELES — Margie Brueckner was named the career Firefighter/Paramedic of the Year at Clallam County Fire District 2’s annual awards ceremony.
Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Mike DeRousie was recognized for his 28 years of dedication and service to the fire district and its residents during the Saturday ceremony to recognize and show appreciation to the volunteer and career firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics who work for the district. DeRousie announced his retirement in November.
Overall, 15 awards were presented by the fire district to 42 firefighters and an additional award was presented to a citizen who demonstrated substantial support to the fire district in 2017 and 2018.
Amanda Slowey was awarded the EMT of the Year Award for the Gales Addition fire station, while Rick Leffler earned the EMT of the Year Award for the Dry Creek fire station.
Leffler also was honored for his 10 years of volunteer service.
Mike Jensen earned the Gales Addition fire station volunteer Firefighter of the Year and Sean Charon was awarded the Dry Creek station Firefighter of the Year award.
Rookie of the Year went to firefighter/EMT Fred Way.
Life Saving Awards
Awards for saving lives went to Tim Davis, Sarah Springob, Tyler Gear, Jensen, Joe McFarland, Jessica Adams, Dan Huff, Leffler, DeRousie, Neil Crumley and Allen Hunt.
Each of the recipients was directly involved with incidents in which action resulted in one or more lives being saved, said Fire Chief Sam Phillips in a press release.
The incidents included a medical call with CPR in progress in a remote portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail and the rapid recognition of a cardiac patient who was evaluated at the Clallam County Fair, rushed to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles and quickly transferred to Harrison Medical Center’s specialized heart unit in Bremerton.
Meritorious Service Awards were presented to firefighters and EMTs for their work battling three separate residential structure fires on Alice Road, West Edgewood Drive and Deer Park Road, respectively.
Fortunately no people or pets were injured in the house fires, all of which caused significant damage.
Additionally, Meritorious Service Awards were presented to volunteer EMT and graphic artist Trish Tisdale for her extensive work in fire safety, healthful lifestyles, First-Aid-CPR and graphic design in the fire district.
Trish Tisdale
Teresa DeRousie was honored for her work coordinating public education programs including Kid’s Fest Safety Fair, Clallam County Home & Lifestyle Show and teaching First-Aid & CPR classes.
Teresa DeRousie
Distinguished Unit Citations were presented to 15 firefighters, EMTs and paramedics for their work rescuing a seriously injured motorcyclist who collided head-on with a pickup on a Forest Service road near Lake Crescent.
Paramedics, firefighters and EMTs responded to the remote location and quickly ascertained that the patient had a fractured skull. After treating the patient they established a landing zone at Storm King Ranger Station and rendezvoused with Air Lift Northwest which flew the patient to Harborview Trauma Center in Seattle.
Award of Excellence
Receiving the Chief’s Award of Excellence was Todd Ortloff of KONP Radio; General Manager Sue Ellen Riesau and President Brown Maloney of Radio Pacific Inc. for their work hosting a monthly segment, broadcast live, dedicated to local fire safety and emergency preparedness issues involving Clallam County Fire District 2.
