Saving lives just part of the job, but rescuers deserve the praise

When someone paid by the community to protect us does so well, saving us from certain death, shouldn't they be honored for it?

We think so. And the praise should extend to all involved in the effort.

Some communities make a point of handing out praise. Some don't. All should.

In Shelby Township last year, paramedics were sent to the home of Erin and Joe Youngblood. Their 18-month-old son, Brady, was choking.

Molly, 5, had reminded her panicking mom to call 911.

Fire Chief Gene Shepherd took the call. Township paramedics Joel Morris, Frank Pierce, Matthew Tidrow and Jeffrey Chesnutt and Battalion Chief Doug Miller responded. The obstruction was removed, the child transported to William Beaumont Hospital in Troy and later, by helicopter, to Beaumont's Royal Oak hospital.

The boy came through it with no lasting effects.

The family showed up at a township Board of Trustees meeting to thank the paramedics and their chief.

They were five of 10 firefighters honored with certificates of appreciation.

Three of those paramedics plus Lt. Inspector Edward Vojtush were also cited for rescuing a resident from a burning home. That the occupant later died from his injuries took nothing away from the effort to rescue and stabilize him.

And others rescued a man who had attempted suicide by ingesting a mixture of chemicals, some of them hazardous to the paramedics. The man survived. The firefighters included Lt. Michael Gaydos and paramedics Christina Champagne, Scott Dykes and Andrew Rae.

Comments appended to our article describing the ceremony noted that dispatchers aren't usually included when praise is handed out. We understand that; we've reported or learned of dispatchers whose calm voices averted tragedies. And in any group rescue effort, we can acknowledge that members of the group play different roles. Some likely are more active, risky, courageous than others.

We place a high value on life, and thus a high value on those who preserve and protect it — enough that we're willing, for Shelby Township's Fire Department anyway, to mention those honored twice.

Every department should thank its firefighters and police officers when they save a life. Sure, it's just part of their job. But we doubt that anyone in uniform would turn down a certificate of appreciation.

And besides, it's great PR.