Shelby Township Recognizes Firefighters for Valor

Shelby Township recently honored members of the Fire Department for going above and beyond the call of duty this past year.

Those recognized by Chief James Swinkowski during a recent Board of Trustees meeting were:

Certificate of Appreciation

• Lt. Medic Andre Rae, Firefighter Medic Brian Werner and Firefighter Medic Jason Bailey who responded to a call Sept. 2, 2012, for a boy who fell off his bike and was injured after handlebars penetrated his abdomen. The personnel evaluated the situation, disassembled the bike and cut the handlebars. The boy was transported to a hospital, and then to the University of Michigan Hospital. Doctors found the end of the handlebars were jagged and rusty, and had the Shelby fire personnel removed the handlebars, it could have caused severe damage.
• Lt. Medic Kevin Arft, Lt. Joe Selakowski and Lt. Medic Rodney Scrutchen responded Nov. 17, 2012, to Shelby Manor where there was a fire on the second and third floors of the facility. Many of the residents were trapped in the upper floors, which the chief called a "worst case scenario." The three men worked to oversee the response to the incident, and performed "in the finest tradition of the fire service," the chief said. 
• Battalion Chief John McCoy and Lt. Inspector Steve Henion also responded to the Shelby Manor fire, which affected more than 80 residents. McCoy, who was off work due to an injury from a previous fire, helped at the scene initially with media relations and then worked with Henion to assist the victims of the fire. Together they worked to calm residents before making a list of who was leaving, what medications and personal items they needed and then helped locate those items in each apartment. Their compassion and resourcefulness "made a difference" the chief said.

• Firefighter Medic Jeremy Verbeke was nominated by his peers in the department for the Firefighter of the Year award. In addition to being a firefighter and medic, he also leads the department's dive team and has seen an increase in activity on the Clinton River. To help the township better respond to emergencies on the waterway, he led the effort to have 42-markers placed along the water between Yates Cider Mill and Heritage Park in Utica to help those recreating on the river provide their location to first responders if there was an emergency. He also led the effort to have firefighters certified for swift water training and the dive team certified for swift water rescues. He also worked to identify river access points for first responders. Verbeke also coordinates patrols for the Clinton River Area Mountainbike Association and has acquired grants for that effort. Swinkowski said Verbeke received the award, "In recognition for outstanding performance, dedication and preparation in making our community a safer place for our residents and visitors to enjoy Shelby Township's recreation offerings."