Downers Grove Police, Fire Departments Honor Local Heroes

More than a dozen local heroes were recognized during the Downers Grove Village Council meeting on Tuesday, including an autistic teenager who saved his family from a fire and a resident who saved a man after an attempted suicide.

The following individuals received awards from the Downers Grove police and fire departments for acts of bravery and heroism in 2012 and 2013:

Brendon Harrison, Act of Valor Award

On March 10, 2013, Brendon's bravery and quick thinking saved his family from a potentially life-threatening situation.

Around 1:20 a.m.—while his parents, sister and dog were sound asleep in their rooms—Brendon was woken by the sound of crackling in the kitchen, which turned out to be the sounds of a burning humidifier.

Brendon, who is autistic, is typically afraid of fire and loud noises. However, he overcame his fears and insisted his mother get out of bed to check the crackling downstairs.

Because they caught the fire early, Brendon's dad was able to move the humidifier outside before the kitchen or living room sustained any substantial damage. With the exception of a small, burnt area on the floor, things appeared just as they did before.

"(Brendon) alerted the family so early on that the humidifier didn't even generate enough smoke to activate the detectors," said Marsha Giesler, public education officer for the Downers Grove Fire Department.

Shawn Pittman

On Dec. 26, 2012, U.S. Postal Service carrier Shawn Pittman noticed a considerable amount of mail collecting at a residence, which was in poor condition. She took the effort to make contact with the resident with negative results.

Pittman took the initiative to contact Downers Grove police, who found the resident to be living in deplorable conditions with no working heat. The resident had not eaten in days and appeared extremely malnourished.

If not for Pittman's intervention, the victim may have perished, police said.

Susan Lorenc

On Sept. 7, 2012, Susan Lorenc observed two men approaching her neighbor's back door and called 911. She did not know that at the time, her neighbor was inside by herself with two young children.

Lorenc confronted the two men and asked why they were at the house. The two men left as Lorenc continued to relay information to dispatch.

It was later determined that the two men were there to burglarize the home, and that Lorenc's action not only prevented the burglary, but possibly a situation that could have escalated to a more serious crime. Several residential burglaries were closed with the arrest of the two men, police said.

Brian George

On June 17, 2012, Downers Grove police were dispatched for a subject that was unresponsive at the bottom of a swimming pool. Officer Anthony Kucaba observed that resident Brian George was holding a combative victim up and restraining him from drowning himself.

It was learned that the victim attempted to commit suicide by drowning himself in the pool. George entered the pool and rescued him, bringing him back to the surface so he could breathe.

Without the quick action of George, it is believed that the victim would have drowned.

U.S. Navy Recruiters Patrick Burke, Shaun Murphy and David Runyon

On June 11, 2012, U.S. Navy recruiters Patrick Burke, Shaun Murphy and David Runyon were sitting in their recruiting office in the Green Knolls shopping plaza when they noticed the smell of smoke.

Burke noted that the smell seemed to be coming from the ceiling, and lifted the tile to see what was going on. He then observed two subjects ingesting drugs in the storage room next to the office.

Runyon dialed 911 to describe the offenders, and all three confronted them as they tried to leave. Although the offenders fled the scene, the Navy recruiters were able to provide descriptions and their license plate number.

The men were stopped by police, and were found with several grams of heroin and items stolen from the storage facility.

Advocate Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center, Life-Saving Award

On Oct. 13, 2012, the Downers Grove Fire Department was called for a patient at the Advocate Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center. Bystanders reported that the patient was on the treadmill when he suddenly collapsed to the floor and became unresponsive.

The staff activated the EMS system, applied an AED one minute after the patient collapsed and gave him CPR. Due to their training and coordinating efforts, the patient began breathing on his own.

On Jan. 24, 2013, paramedics were called to the Health and Wellness Center for a patient who fell and became unresponsive, with no pulse. Staff called 911, assessed the patient, placed him on an AED and initiated CPR for one minute.

Due to their training and coordinating efforts, the patient became responsive and alert.

Maria Brutus, Life-Saving Award

On May 18, 2013, Downers Grove paramedics were dispatched to the Bohemian Garden restaurant fo a subject with shortness of breath. The man had a partial to complete airway obstruction while eating, officials said.

Maria Brutus, a nursing student and employee at the restaurant, jumped into action and physically removed the obstruction from the patient's mouth. Paramedics arrived and assessed the patient, who was able to breathe on his own.

Residence Inn Chicago Lombard by Marriott

For more than 10 years, the Residence Inn Chicago Lombard by Marriott has partnered with the Downers Grove Fire Department and offered a free night’s lodging for the victims of residential fires, officials said.

This service includes lodging for the entire family and their pets, access to the internet, and full use of kitchenettes and a continental breakfast. The Downers Grove Fire Department honored the Marriott with a Partnership Award for assisting residents in their time of need.

Boy Scout Troop 181, Partnership Award

Over the years, Boy Scout Troop 181 has assisted the Downers Grove Police Department with a number of activities, including open houses, color guard and cleaning up after events.

The troop was honored Tuesday with a Partnership Award.