1st Responder Broadcast Network is the definitive source of local news for the Emergency Service Community portal and Resource for Firefighting, Fire, Rescue, EMS and Safety.

The Lebanon Volunteer Rescue Department was honored by a group of its peers on Friday evening, May 18, 2007. Three Lebanon Rescue volunteers were honored for their heroic actions during the tragic flooding deaths of 4 year old Sapphyre Perro and her grandmother, Donna Dube of East Lebanon.

During the third annual Southern Maine Emergency Medical Services awards banquet held at Verrillos in Portland, Lebanon Rescue was honored with the Call of the Year Award.

More than 80 agencies make up the district that Southern Maine EMS covers over 4 counties.

The three rescue volunteers, Assistant Chief Jason Cole, Captain Stu Morrison and EMS Driver Scott Thibodeau also received personal thanks from the Governor, the honorable John E. Baldacci. Governor Baldacci sent letters to each of the responders as he was personally unable to attend the event.

“I would like to extend my thanks and sincerest appreciations for the heroic actions you exhibited in the midst of the Patriot’s Day Storm. Your commitment to response and recovery prevented a terrible tragedy from being even worse.

Many agencies and individuals came forward and worked tirelessly to coordinate relief efforts throughout the entirety of this devastating storm. I am grateful for the efforts of everyone involved. I received news of dozens of people being rescued all over the state.

Your dedication to duty, preparedness, and the wellbeing of others is a reflection of your character. I commend you for the efforts you’ve made, both during this time, and throughout your career. You clearly demonstrate your allegiance to the highest standards of your profession.

On behalf of the State of Maine, please accept my gratitude and respect for your commitment to community and service. I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors.

Sincerely,
John E. Baldacci, Governor”

Assistant Chief Jason Cole thanked the board for selecting the Lebanon Rescue Department to receive this award. “I wish we weren’t here tonight for this award, I wish the outcome would have been different, but as a team, we all did everything we could to try to save both Donna and Sapphyre. As a team, we worked against the odds to try and change the outcome. I thank the Southern Maine EMS Bureau for recognizing the work of the team and the heroic actions performed that day.”

While President of Southern Maine EMS Board of Directors Michael Mirisola read why the call was chosen, many in the audience agreed that it was a very difficult call, the call all first responders hope they never will have to respond to.

President Mirisola talked about the roads being washed out, so the rescue crews were detoured around into Sanford and then back into Lebanon. How the water was 13 feet deep where Captain Morrison and EMS Driver Thibodeau first swam and found the victims and how Assistant Chief Cole did CPR on both victims in the boat until they could get to the awaiting ambulances, after wading out in waist high water trying to see if he could see the ambulance crew swimming to the victims. Both Cole and Morrison suffered mild hypothermia from the call. President Mirisola talked about the strong current and rising waters as well as all the other obstacles.

York County Commissioner Sallie Chandler and her husband went to the ceremony to thank the volunteers for their everyday commitment to the community and their heroic actions that day. Commissioner Chandler’s district and hometown is Lebanon.

The equipment that was used in the rescue attempt was paid for by. The rescue held bean suppers and other events to purchase two new cold water rescue suits and equipment two years ago, at the cost of about $1,500. The rescue has a bean supper scheduled for Saturday, June 9th from 4:30-7:30 at the Lebanon Grange Hall on Little River Road to purchase more water rescue equipment. The rescue has already started to receive donations that will be used to purchase a small boat and more cold water rescue suits.

Lebanon Rescue Driver Scott Thibodeau said “It hits home, I have a 4 and 6 year old daughter and knew Sapphyre very well. All three of us have children and it’s hard on anyone to respond to a call like that.” Driver Thibodeau has been on the department about 6 months and had just been certified in cold water rescue about a month earlier at the annual Lebanon Rescue cold water rescue training.

Captain Morrison thanked the rescue department for sending him to specialized water rescue training that he in turn taught the other members. Captain Morrison is the department’s water rescue instructor and is scheduled to attend more training this summer.

“We train annually in cold water rescue and hope to never use it. Last year we had a female fall through on Northeast Pond while trying to save her dog that had fallen through the ice. She was treated for mild hypothermia. Two years ago, Lebanon Rescue driver CJ Deshaies rescued a dog out of the Salmon Falls River using the cold water rescue equipment.” Chief Samantha Cole added.

“We thank the community for their support after this call. We received dozens of cards and calls making sure the volunteers understood how much they were appreciated. We got cards from all over the region, it truly helped the volunteers who were very upset. We have a great community and we thank them for their continued support.” Chief Cole added.

This is the 2nd year that Lebanon Rescue has won an award at the banquet. Last year, Assistant Chief Jason Cole received the EMT of the Year award for responding to over 5,000 calls for service in his 19 years of volunteer service.

“Everyday, our volunteers go out on calls and risk their lives helping their neighbors and community. This is one of the times where the EMS Community comes together to say thank you to these volunteers. These volunteers feel strongly in serving their community and dedicate nearly 11,000 manpower hours each year to better serve their community. I am so proud to lead this team, who works so well together and we have grown into a family.” Rescue Chief Samantha Cole added.

The Lebanon Volunteer Rescue Department has 55 active volunteers and responds to over 650 calls a year. The department became a fully transporting ambulance service in 2002 under Chief Cole, before that, they relied on neighboring communities and paid private ambulance services.

Initial information from the tragic drownings:

The Lebanon Rescue Department and Lebanon Fire Department responded to a report of people in the water on the Chick Road in East Lebanon on Monday, April 16, 2007. The call went to the E911 Center around 12:40. Emergency crews responded, but had to be rerouted several miles around due to the road being flooded and we couldn’t access the patients. Crews had to be rerouted through Sanford and back into Lebanon .

Apparently, the grandmother, age 50 of East Lebanon, and her 4 year old granddaughter tried to cross the water over the roadway and was swept in. The water was over 3 feet deep in some places.

Two members of the Lebanon Rescue Department that responded with the ambulance got suited up in the cold water rescue suits immediately. The victims were located in a heavily flooded area which was not safe to access except with the suits and rope. The two rescue members made it out to the patients, about 200 feet from the ambulance. A Maine Warden Service boat with two game wardens and Assistant Rescue Chief Jason Cole responded out to where the rescue members located the victims. Upon arrival at the rescue people, two individuals, one adult and one small child, were pulled from the water and placed in the rescue boat to be brought to the roadway and ambulances. CPR was initiated by Assistant Chief Cole on the 4 year old and the adult in the boat as the wardens got the boat out to the waiting ambulances. Lebanon Ambulance One transported the child and Lebanon Ambulance Two transported the adult to Goodall Hospital. Both were pronounced dead a while later at Goodall Hospital.

A third patient was located nearby who had tried to help rescue the two victims. He was rescued and brought to the roadway and transported to Goodall Hospital in Sanford.

There was conflicting stories that another child may be involved and unaccounted for. Additional searches were done and wardens spoke with witnesses who had only seen the two.

Responding to assist Lebanon Rescue and Lebanon Fire were: Maine Warden Service, Sanford Ambulances, North Berwick Ambulance, Acton Rescue and Shapleigh Rescue members. Several boats from the warden service and Acton Fire also responded to the scene.

“It is extremely difficult when you rescue a child the same age as your own and have to do CPR on a child and their relative. The Wardens got the boat back to the road quick, but time was moving so slowly for me being alone with the two unconscious victims. This by far is the most tragic call I have responded to in 19 years as a volunteer with Lebanon. I cannot imagine what the family is going through.” Assistant Rescue Chief Jason Cole added. “This was a tragic accident that hits everyone so hard. Everyone did their best to get out to the patients as quick as possible, but the conditions were so severe, we had to make sure everything was safe. We wish our deepest condolences to the family.”

“A stress debriefing for all the responders will take place over the next few days. This is exceptionally hard on all the members who tried so much to help these victims. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.” Rescue Chief Samantha Cole added.