First Responders Honored For Life Saving Heroics
A U R O R A F I R E D E PA R T M E N T
Six Aurora firefighters received “Firefighter of
the Year” awards from the Exchange Club of
Aurora for their heroic efforts that saved the
life of a 14-year-old Aurora girl in March.
Privates Dan Kveton, Jerry White, and Tom
Contreras; Paramedics Dan Ahasic and Brett
Svendsen; and Lieutenant Kris Tappendorf
were honored for their teamwork that led to
the rescue of Annie Prosser from a retention
pond just off I-88 at Diehl Rd. Annie was a
passenger in a vehicle driven by a 20-year-old
woman who had lost control of the car and
crashed it into the pond.
Paramedics Ahasic and Svendsen; along with
Pvts. White and Contreras, began advanced
live saving procedures on Annie, who was
unconscious, not breathing, and did not have
a pulse after having been underwater for an
estimated 20 minutes. While en route to the
hospital, the firefighters immobilized Annie,
performed CPR, and initiated the rewarming
process using blankets, hot packs, and a
warm IV.
The firefighters’
immediate actions,
along with those
performed by seven Aurora Police officers,
are credited for reviving Annie and allowing
her to resume a normal life after her lengthy
hospital stay and rehabilitation regimen.
The police officers were recognized in April
and received Medals of Honor (see the
Summer Aurora Borealis).
Lt. Tappendorf and Pvt. Kveton were the
first fire personnel to arrive at the scene of
the March 9 crash. While still in his work
uniform, Kveton jumped into the mostlyfrozen pond and joined several Aurora Police
officers as they searched for victims. Within
seconds, Lt. Tappendorf, who had donned a
buoyance suit, and Kveton, located Annie and
removed her from the vehicle.
After the police officers and fire personnel
rushed Annie to the waiting ambulance,
L to R: AFD’s Contreras, Kveton, Tappendorf, Ahasic, White, Svendsen with Annie Prosser.
A U R O R A P O L I C E D E PA R T M E N T
Proving that a police officer is never
off-duty, Aurora Police Sergeant Bill Rowley
was named the October Employee of the
Month for saving the life of a 2-year-old Montgomery girl who
had been critically injured in car accident on Oct. 13.
Rowley came across the crash while traveling to a Joliet pumpkin farm
with his family. The little girl, Abby Schmidt, and her family, were
ironically on their way to the same pumpkin farm when their minivan
was hit by another vehicle traveling about 60 M.P.H. after its driver
had blown a stop sign. Rowley immediately began CPR on the girl and
continued his efforts until paramedics arrived several minutes later.
Abby went on to spend 10 days in ICU and 18 days in the hospital but
has fully recovered, thanks to the early efforts of Sgt. Rowley.
Sgt. Rowley surprise both Abby (holding) and her sister, Emma
with a special visitor during a recent press conference.
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