Hinsdale Firefighters Awarded for Paramedic Excellence

Submitted by the Hinsdale Fire Department.

Five members of the Hinsdale Fire Department were recipients of the prestigious Joseph Hartman Award, second runner-up, for their efforts in saving a man’s life last year during a serious construction accident involving an asphalt grinder near the intersection of County Line Road and Walnut Street.

Captain Kevin Votava, Lieutenant Mike Neville and firefighter/paramedics Steve Tullis, Patrick Schaberg and Dan Majewski were honored with the recognition.

The award is named in honor of Doctor Joseph Hartman, the first medical director of emergency medical services at the Good Samaritan Hospital. It is given annually to three medic crews or fire departments who exhibit excellence in the delivery of emergency care in a pre-hospital setting. 

Each year, there are an estimated 50,000 calls in DuPage County. This is the sixth time paramedics from the Hinsdale Fire Department have received this award. A special ceremony was held May 19 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

The accident for which the award was given occurred last summer during the reconstruction of the Oak Street Bridge Corridor. A construction supervisor was struck and run over by an asphalt grinder, leaving him crushed and with life-threatening injuries. 

The Hinsdale Fire Department responded and provided advanced life support that included full spinal immobilization, bilateral IV access, intravenous fluids, continuous cardiac monitoring, wound care and rapid transport to a level one trauma facility. After several surgeries and extensive rehab, the patient survived this accident. 

Several months later, he paid a visited to the Hinsdale Fire Department to say thank you to the crew that helped him on that day.