The American Red Cross Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter announces the 2010 Heroes have been selected and will be awarded at the American Red Cross Heroes Event sponsored by UnitedHealthcare, one month from today, on March 3rd at the Salt Palace Convention Center at 11:30 am – 1:00 pm in Salt Lake City.
And the 2010 American Red Cross Heroes are…
Teen Rescue - JJ Larson and six friends perform an emergency medical rescue at a swimming pool, saving the life of Bailee Robinson. The girl suffered a seizure and sank to the bottom of the pool. The group of friends pulled her out of the water, called 911 and JJ put her in a rescue position. The youth win the Medical Rescue Award.
Tanya Shroeder – Imagine throwing yourself in front of a train to save the life of a child. But the train is a 90-pound pit bull. Tanya disregarded her own personal safety to save a little girl and her own two children from an angry dog that broke through their fence and waged war on them in their backyard. At one point, the pit bull had the the girl pinned to the ground by the neck. Tanya pried the dog off of the child. The brave mom suffered many bites and braved a series of attacks from the pit bull, but in the end, they all reached safety. She earns the Family Hero Award.
100 First Aid Kits – Salt Lake City Fire Station 8 joined the International Aid Servicing Kids to assemble 100 First Aid Kits to give to locals in Haiti. Captain Rick Black traveled to Haiti where he delivered the kits, treated 1300 villagers (57% of them children) and instructed first aid to locals. This group receives the International Good Samaritan award. At the time, they had no idea Haiti would soon suffer a devastating earthquake.
Shooting Victim - Rueben Martinez suffered from a life-altering incident. He was mistaken for a gang member and brutally shot. After months in the hospital and multiple surgeries, he could have retaliated with anger, but instead joined efforts to help troubled youth in his community. He diligently served as a leader for other teens at Youth Works. He is the Youth Good Samaritan.
Radio to the Rescue - Hal Whiting was in the middle of nowhere near the Arizona border when someone flagged him down for help. An ATV accident victim was seriously injured, help was far away and cell phones were out of range. Hal used his ham radio equipment and his training to get help and save a life. Hal receives the Wilderness Award.
The Park City 5 –Coincidentally, five moms in Park City lose their teens to a variety of unexpected deaths in a short period of time. They band together to mourn and to honor their lost children. The moms raise funds and build a needed school in Ecuador. Now, the group has raised enough to build a total of five schools. They receive the International Good Samaritan Award.
Kathy Jo Hall – 911 dispatcher Kathy Jo Hall helped two men whose boat capsized on the Great Salt Lake in January 2009. Hall’s calming influence in a dramatic 911 call made it possible to get GPS coordinates to the rescuers. Kathy Jo is the Law Enforcement Hero.
On the Road – Driving home from work, Jason Day saw a car on fire with a woman inside. He and another woman on the scene braved the fire and a possible explosion to pull her from the car to safety. He and another man on the scene tried to put out the fire, but four minutes after the woman was free from the car, it erupted in flames. Later, he held a fundraiser for the single mom to help her get a new car. The Adult Good Samarian Award goes to Jason.
School Bus Nightmare A school bus loaded with children on a field trip is rolling down the interstate in the St. George area. The bus driver slumps at the wheel. A teacher and two chaperones work together to get the bus to the side of the road safely. Children’s lives were saved. Jan and Laura Graf and Ben Smith are awarded the Adult Good Samaritan Award.
Preparedness Team – Taylorsville Volunteers Donna Pitman & Lisa Schwartz prepared their community for a large catastrophic disaster. Donna led the efforts and serves as the volunteer chair for public safety and Lisa divided the city into sections and prepared a team of individuals to be able to respond when needed. They win the Community Safety Hero Award.
Military Might – Sgt. Brady Johnson was headed for a family picnic in American Fork Canyon, when he came upon an emergency in the midst of a bike racing event on the road. He helped save the life of cyclist Dave Collins after a bicycle/SUV accident. Many witnesses thought Dave was deceased. But Brady and some other medically trained cyclists used their skills to assess the injuries and keep the man alive. Dave had a gash from his jugular all the way to his sternum. Brady had his army medic aid bag with him. He packed Dave’s wounds with gauze and held them in place to prevent him from bleeding to death until medics arrived. Brady receives the Military Hero Award.
Lifetime Achievement – Each year several heroes are honored by the American Red Cross. Only one of them receives a special award for a lifetime of heroic achievement. This year, that award goes to Paula Green Johnson who has served her community for 25 years as a volunteer. Paula has helped several worthy causes. She has personally led major projects, taken on leadership roles, and helped save many children in Africa by supporting the International Red Cross Measles Initiative. She even travelled to Ghana to help with the project. She serves by leading and mentoring. She was selected as this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner for sharing her time, treasure and many talents with the American Red Cross and other local nonprofit organizations.
Selection Information - The finalists were chosen by a special Selection Committee made up of the following members: Governor Gary R. Herbert, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Pastor France Davis -Calvary Baptist Church, Natalie Gochnour - COO Salt Lake Chamber, and Lynn Samsel - Director of Emergency Services, LDS Humanitarian Services.
About the American Red Cross, Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; teaches lifesaving skills; provides blood to 30 area hospitals; and supports military members and their families. The organization also provides emergency utility assistance and international family tracing services. The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization, not a government funded agency, which depends entirely upon volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. Donate your time or resources to the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross by calling 801-323-7000 or visit www.utahredcross.org.
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The American Red Cross Heroes Luncheon is sponsored by UnitedHealthcare.
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