Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
DENNIS POWELL II, left, Matthew Weidner and Curtis Vogel, Beacon Ambulance first responders, are honored by the Ironwood City Commission Monday for saving the life of an elderly Ironwood motorist. A citizen, Julie Erickson, of Ironwood, was also honored, but was unable to attend the meeting. Commissioners, from left, are Brandon Tauer, David Sim, Joe Cayer Jr., Rick Semo and Mayor Kim Corcoran. Ironwood Public Safety Department Director Andrew DiGiorgio is at right.
IRONWOOD - Four people who helped rescue an elderly Ironwood man from a burning vehicle last month were honored by the Ironwood City Commission on Monday.
Leonard Korpi, 84, of 420 Douglas Boulevard, had experienced a medical issue while driving on March 28.
The vehicle, in the parking lot at Wells Fargo Bank on Cloverland Drive, was becoming filled with smoke from a fire in the engine compartment. Korpi was unconscious and had his foot on the gas pedal,
A passerby, Julie Erickson, helped first responders remove Korpi from the vehicle.
Korpi was unresponsive when Beacon Ambulance personnel and later Ironwood Public Safety Department officer Adam Clemens arrived at 900 E. Cloverland Drive around 12:31 p.m.
As Clemens arrived, he watched as Erickson broke the window and Beacon employees Curtis Vogel, Matthew Weidner and Dennis Powell II were removing Korpi from the vehicle.
Erickson grabbed Korpi's dog from the vehicle and ran a safe distance away from the fire.
The Beacon Ambulance personnel then began treating Korpi at the scene, as he was initially not breathing and didn't have a pulse.
When the driver was pulled a safe distance away from the vehicle, Clemens used a fire extinguisher to knock down the fire.
Korpi was transported to Aspirus Grand View Hospital and later transferred to a Wausau, Wis., hospital for further treatment.
"He appears to be making a recovery at this time," Clemens said.
Erickson was transported to AGVH for treatment of smoke inhalation. She was not able to be present for the Monday honors, given by the commission and Ironwood Public Safety Department Director Andrew DiGiorgio.
"Without the quick action and thinking of (Erickson) and Beacon personnel, this incident would likely have had a grave consequence. In light of that, we recognize these four people for their bravery and community service," Clemens wrote in a memo the commission.
Vogel, Powell, Weidner and their family members were on hand to receive the certificates of appreciation.
