January 31, 1996
GOVERNOR HONORS FOX RIVER GROVE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
CRYSTAL LAKE, IL -- Gov. Jim Edgar today honored emergency medical service
personnel, firefighters, police and others who responded October 25 to the
bus/train crash in Fox River Grove.
Speaking at a luncheon sponsored by the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare
Council, Edgar presented special "Governor's Awards" to two suburban
hospitals and 11 individuals for exemplary care, compassion and response in an
emergency.
The Governor also distributed "Certificates of Appreciation" to 41
police and fire departments, rescue companies, hospitals and other
organizations involved in providing emergency care and assistance after the
crash.
"To those who assisted in this tragedy, the citizens of this community
and the state of Illinois owe our heartfelt thanks," Edgar said. "It
is comforting to know that when a tragedy of this magnitude occurs, there are
trained professionals and good citizens willing to do whatever they can to
provide critical medical care to the injured, as well as offer compassion and
comfort to those that could not be saved."
Seven students from Cary-Grove High School were killed and more than two
dozen injured in the crash of a Metra commuter train and the school bus at a
railroad crossing in Fox River Grove.
Those who received "Governor's Awards" were --
- Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington. The hospital was the closest to the
scene, and it received 10 of the critically injured patients. Staff also
coordinated blood donations from 600 people.
- Northern Illinois Medical Center, McHenry. The hospital was the command
post for the emergency care and received 11 patients.
- Tom Majercik, deputy, McHenry County Sheriff's Police. Majercik was one of
the first on the scene and began providing emergency care and assisted with
triage. He was on the scene late into the evening providing crowd control and,
finally, escorting the school bus to the evidence facility.
- Helen Getchell, registered nurse. Getchell, who works at a hospice, was in
a nearby convenience store when the incident occurred. She immediately rushed
to the scene to help with emergency care and tended to the emotional needs of
two victims who did not survive.
- Rescue Team 1. Ed Kemper, EMT-P, Palatine Fire Department; and Brendan
Keady, EMT-P, Mount Prospect Fire Department, both were off-duty and driving by
when the crash occurred. They stopped and immediately went to the rear of the
bus where the most critically injured students were and administered aid.
- Rescue Team 2. Peter Morris, EMT-P, Mount Prospect Fire Department; and
Eric Poulsen, EMT-P, Hoffman Estates Medical Center, were off-duty but came to
the scene after hearing about the crash on the radio. They helped remove the
less seriously injured from the bus to make room for treating those who were
critically injured.
- Rescue Team 3. Rick Gallas, EMT-A, and Greg Gerkin, EMT-P, Fox River Grove
Fire Protection District; Angie Kreher, citizen; Chief Terry Mastandrea, Lake
Zurich Fire Rescue; and Roy Rick, retired EMS captain from Fox River Grove Fire
Protection District. Gallas and Gurkin set up and coordinated notification of
parents. Mastandrea, Rick and Kreher assisted with parent notification and
tended to the emotional needs of the parents.
Those receiving "Certificates of Appreciation" included --
- Algonquin Police Department
- Algonquin/Lake In The Hills Emergency Ambulance Service
- Algonquin/Lake In The Hills Fire Protection District
- American Red Cross -- Mid-America Chapter
- Barrington Fire Department
- Barrington Hills Police Department
- Carpentersville Fire Department
- Cary Fire Protection District
- Cary Police Department
- Columbia Hoffman Estates Medical Center
- Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department
- Crystal Lake Police Department
- East Dundee Fire Protection District
- Family Service and Community Mental Health Center for McHenry County
- Fox River Grove Fire Protection District
- Fox River Grove Police Department
- Hoffman Estates Fire Department
- Huntley Fire Protection District
- Illinois State Police, Elgin
- Lake County Sheriff's Police
- Lake Zurich Fire Rescue
- LifeSource
- Long Grove Fire Protection District
- Loyola University Medical Center
- Lutheran General Hospital
- McHenry County Coroner's Office
- McHenry County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency
- McHenry County Sheriff's Police
- McHenry Police Department
- Memorial Medical Center, Woodstock
- Metra Police
- Northern Illinois Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team
- Nunda Rural Fire Protection District
- Oakwood Hills Police
- Palatine Fire Department
- Salvation Army -- Crystal Lake Citadel
- Sherman Hospital, Elgin
- St. Joseph Hospital, Elgin
- Wauconda Fire Department
- Wonder Lake Fire Department
- Woodstock Fire Rescue District
 |
|
Illinois Department
of Public Health
535 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, Illinois 62761
Phone 217-782-4977
Fax 217-782-3987
TTY 800-547-0466
Questions or Comments |