Lifesavers honored
The first-responders who saved John Ruehling’s life Wednesday, April 10, includes (back row, from left) New Prague Police Department officer Josh Walton, New Prague Fire Department firefighter Ryan Schmitz, New Prague Fire Department Lt. Brandon Anderson, Scott County Sheriff’s Deputy Ted Kes, Sheriff Luke Hennen, North Memorial Health Ambulance Paramedic Jade Adams, (seated, from left) Scott County Sheriff 911 Dispatcher Victoria Jones, Scott County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Fordice, John Ruehling, Scott County Sheriff 911 Dispatcher Ashlee Sames, North Memorial Health Ambulance EMT Polly Greer, (not pictured) Deputy Ken Dvorak, LifeLink pilot Michael Lewis, LifeLink paramedic Alec Wilcox, LifeLink flight nurse Kevin Riemann and former NPPD officer Emily Eastman. (Submitted photo)
NP police, firefighters, deputies, dispatchers team up to save man’s life
His relatives tease John Ruehling there’s an easier way to enjoy a helicopter ride. Joking aside, the Helena Township farmer knows the airborne trip was a small part of a lifesaving effort by New Prague police, firefighters and Scott County Sheriff’s deputies and dispatchers.
Earlier this spring, Wednesday, April 10, to be exact, Ruehling suffered a heart attack at his farmhouse on Naylor Avenue just outside New Prague. Without the efforts of New Prague Police officers Josh Walton and Emily Eastman, firefighters Lt. Brandon Anderson and Ryan Schmitz, North Memorial paramedic Jade Adams and EMT Polly Greer, Sgt. Ken Dvorak, deputies Ted Kes and Paul Fordice, dispatchers Ashley Sames and Victoria Jones, North Memorial Ambulance and the Life link air ambulance crew of pilot Michael Lewis, flight paramedic Alec Wilcox and flight nurse Kevin Rixmann, Ruehling wouldn’t have survived the heart attack. Ruehling knows he is a fortunate man and that a series of circumstances, a big part of which is the welltrained, dedicated dispatchers and first-responders, is responsible for him being around to thank the men and women who saved his life.
“They’re all heroes as far as I’m concerned,” Ruehling said, sitting on the same sofa where his heart stopped beating. “Without them, I wouldn’t have made it. I wouldn’t be here.”
Tuesday, July, 18, the men and women who played a role in saving Ruehling’s life were presented the Morris S. Miller Outstanding Service Award at the Scott County Board meeting. The meeting was the first time Ruehling had...
To see more on this story pick up the July 25, 2024 print edition of The New Prague Times.
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