Two Awards Presented at West Pierce Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting
University Place, Wash. – At the West Pierce Board of Fire Commissioners meeting on Tuesday evening, two individuals were recognized for their selfless and heroic acts that greatly impacted the outcome of recent incidents.
Lakewood Citizen Dave Sanders received a Life Saver Citizen Award for his acts during an apartment fire in Tillicum in June. Dave is the apartment manager at the Union Crest Apartments and assisted residents in getting down from the second story with a ladder. The fire engulfed the second story and destroyed all units in the building. Without Mr. Sanders quick actions and assistance, West Pierce Fire & Rescue could have had a more severe or even tragic outcome from this incident.
Firefighter/Paramedic Bryson Lane received a Merit award for his actions in May in Gig Harbor. Firefighter Lane was off-duty with his family and came across a serious auto accident. He approached the vehicle and found a male patient who was unconscious and not breathing. He then went into action and assisted the patient to begin breathing on his own prior to Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One’s arrival. He was able to give responding units a full report to assist them in taking over patient care and transport to the hospital. Firefighter Lanes dedication to his community and willingness to help, even when he was off-duty, proudly reflects West Pierces mission and commitment to help those in need.
“It was an honor to recognize these two individuals. An average citizen such as Mr. Sanders stepping up to help others in need and Bryson stopping to render aid while off-duty truly reflects the spirit of our community members and our firefighters,” Chief Jim Sharp said.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue is proud to recognize these two individuals for their bravery and heroic acts that made a positive impact on the community, as well as avoided a tragic outcome.