By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Three Good Samaritans were recognized this week for jumping into action to save strangers facing life or death situations. In instances where most bystanders would have stood back and watched, or videotaped the scene on their phones, these people acted heroically.
For their actions, they were awarded Black Swamp Humanitarian Awards Monday in the atrium of the Wood County Courthouse Complex in Bowling Green.
Lisa Schultz, of Custar, was recognized for coming to the aid of a seriously injured woman trapped in her car after a crash on July 17.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Van Tassel Road and U.S. 6, near Weston, involving a semi truck and two passenger cars with people trapped inside, explained Weston EMS Chief Kathy Heyman.
While Northwest 190 EMS was treating a patient near the intersection, Weston EMS was helping a 52-year-old woman trapped in her midsize car. There was extensive damage to the rear of the vehicle after being struck by a fully loaded semi going at highway speeds while her vehicle was stopped to make a left turn. Her vehicle was forced into oncoming traffic, where it was struck again by an eastbound vehicle, Heyman said.
When the EMS personnel arrived, they found a passerby, Lisa Schultz, manually holding the seriously injured driver’s spine. Schultz, a nurse, and was able to give EMS a concise report of what she observed and gained from speaking with the patient.
While the EMS crew continued patient care, Schultz maintained C-spine control as a neck collar was placed on the driver.
“Had Lisa let go of the C-spine, she could be gone,” Heyman said.
Once the EMS took over spine control, Schultz assisted with holding the IV tubing while an IV was started with the patient still entrapped. Schultz continued to assist and speak with the patient, helping to keep the driver calm while efforts were made to extricate her, Heyman said.
The patient was flown to St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Toledo with critical injuries.
Schultz’s efforts with manual C-spine control and her caring contact with the patient helped to minimize further damage to the driver, Heyman said.
In accepting the award, Schultz minimized her actions.
“Everybody should be helping someone,” she said. “I couldn’t let her go.”
Lindsey LaCourse and Connor McGovern earned Good Samaritans Awards for jumping into action to aid an unresponsive man at the Meijer gas station off Ohio 20 on May 6.
Perrysburg Township EMS happened to be at the nearby WalMart store for a child with a nosebleed. As the crew was returning to service, they heard a dispatch from the City of Rossford for an unresponsive man at the gas station.
Upon their arrival at the scene, EMS personnel saw Meijer employees Lindsey LaCourse and Connor McGovern performing CPR on the man and preparing to use an AED.
Perrysburg Township Fire Chief Tom Brice said if more people responded to such situations as LaCourse and Connor, there would be far more survivors.
The man they rescued, Mark Esposito, of Woodville, was able to attend a township meeting in September to meet his Good Samaritans and EMS crew.
Neither LaCourse nor McGovern were present for their Black Swamp Humanitarian Awards, but Bowling Green Fire Chief Bill Moorman explained how every second counts when someone is in cardiac distress.
“Time is critical,” Moorman said. “They made a difference in this outcome. They didn’t just stand back and watch.”
The Black Swamp Humanitarian Awards have been presented annually for 33 years to heroes among us, explained Joe Frederick, one of the founding members of the awards.
Frederick said the awards were created out of a desire to recognize ordinary people who do extraordinary acts to help others in need.
