Full list of award winners
(Incident recaps supplied by the American Red Cross)
Adult Good Samaritan: Dave Della Paolera, Hiedi Poulson and Kim Detter
David Della Paolera was driving with his son on state Highway 503 when he came upon a fiery car crash last July. Without hesitating, he stopped his vehicle and jumped out to help the man who was unconscious and trapped inside. Della Paolera pulled the man out of the car just before it exploded. Kim Detter, a former medical assistant who witnessed the crash, and Hiedi Poulson, a combat medic, also came to the man's rescue. They worked together to treat the man's life-threatening wounds until medical personnel arrived. The three are credited with saving the man's life from what could have been a fatal crash and subsequent explosion.
Youth Good Samaritan: Brandon Miller
After picking up supplies to finish his Eagle Scout project (a teeter totter for children living at a local homeless shelter), Brandon Miller, then 16, said he felt compelled to ride in the car with his grandfather as they drove home. Brandon's grandfather was driving on the highway when he suffered a cardiac arrest and lost consciousness. Miller instantly took control of the vehicle, pulled his grandfather's foot off the gas pedal and brought the vehicle to a stop on the side of the road. He pulled his grandfather out of the vehicle and onto the ground, and ran to the nearest house to call 911. Miller then returned to his grandfather and performed CPR until an medical personnel arrived.
Military Hero: Rex Donaldson
Rex Donaldson, am Army veteran, was outside his Vancouver apartment when he and his wife suddenly noticed the glow of flames in a neighboring apartment building. They both instinctively ran straight toward the flames, which were quickly engulfing the building. Donaldson helped pull several people to safety, including catching one man who had to jump out a second-story window. With Donaldson's help, firefighters were able to rescue everyone who was in the building and no one was seriously injured.
Workplace Hero: Chad Worthington and Daniel Salazar
During his overnight work shift at a construction site, Chad Worthington was sitting in the front seat of an attenuator -- a vehicle designed to protect road workers from the impact of a crash. He watched as a van crashed into the vehicle. Worthington, uninjured, jumped out of the vehicle and ran toward the van, which was on fire. He learned that a woman and a child were still inside the van. Daniel Salazar, who was working at a construction site nearby, heard the crash reported over his radio and rushed to the scene to help. Together, Worthington and Salazar broke the van's windows and pulled the woman and child to safety before the van became completely engulfed in flames.
Blood Hero: Cody Hermeling
In 2010, Cody Hermeling was the victim of a serious car crash that left him with severe head trauma, numerous fractures and a ruptured spleen. After being rescued from his crushed vehicle, Hermeling was rushed to a nearby hospital and given a three percent chance to survive. He had to be revived at least three times and his emergency treatment required 187 units of blood. Wanting to give back to those who helped save his life, Hermeling and his mother, Kathleen, organized a blood drive the following year as a way to give back to the donors who supplied the blood that saved his life. They have held the blood drive every year since, collecting more than 300 pints of blood as a result.
Medical/CPR Rescue Hero: Deputy Sheriff Albin Boyse and DRO Joe Reed
Columbia River High School Security Officer Joe Reed and Clark County sheriff's Deputy Albin Boyse jumped straight into action when they heard over their radios that a student had collapsed in the gymnasium during football training. Boyse checked the boy for a pulse and realized he didn't have one. Reed began performing CPR while Boyse directed a person standing by to retrieve a defibrillator. The student's heart started and stopped beating several times as Reed worked to resuscitate him. The student was transported to the hospital and thanks to Reed and Boyse's quick action, he made a full recovery.
Professional Rescue Hero: Portland Fire Engine 3 and Truck 3
In late October, Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a reported natural gas leak in a densely populated area of Northwest Portland. Upon arrival, Battalion Chief Jamie Klum realized the seriousness of the situation and called for an evacuation of the building. The fire crew entered the building and knocked on resident doors to ensure everyone had been evacuated. Some crew members were not able to move far enough away from the building before it exploded. Portland Fire Lt. Peter St. John was thrown from the area by the explosion and suffered serious injuries which required multiple surgeries. Four other first responders and three civilians were also injured in the blast. Klum and his crew are credited with saving the lives of the many people who were in the building by risking their own.
Water Rescue Hero: Dan Windon
Dan Windon had dropped his son off at a baby sitter's and was driving on a remote country road when he was flagged down by a woman on the side of the road. She pointed to a car that was almost completely submerged in floodwaters, indicating there was a man trapped inside. Windon immediately got out of his truck, grabbed a tow hitch from his vehicle and rushed into the water to help. The man had been trapped in the car for several minutes and had been holding his breath in the submerged car until Windon was able to break the window and pull him out of the car to safety.
