SIDNEY — It was a night for honors at Monday’s Sidney City Council meeting as three firefighters received commendations and a retiring council member was recognized.
Deputy Chief Cameron Haller, Firefighter/Paramedic Mike Utz and Firefighter/Paramedic Ray Hess received the Department of Fire & Emergency Services’ Fire Chief’s Commendation Award for their efforts during a river rescue July 15.
Fire Chief Brad Jones described the incident in which the three men responded to a mutual-aid call with Piqua Fire for a river rescue involving two kayakers who had been boating in the Great Miami River and had become stuck in a tree after river conditions became too hazardous for them to continue. When the Sidney firefighters arrived, one of the victims had already been rescued, leaving one victim still up in a tree in the river.
With daylight fading, Utz and Hess set up a high-line rescue system, while Haller and Piqua Fire Capt. Risner launched an inflatable rescue boat and proceeded to the remaining victim. The boat reached the victim before the shore-based rescue attempt did, so the victim was able to be brought down from the tree and secured in the boat.
“This was all done while being in close proximity to a construction levee that had been placed for bridge repairs that was having its holding capacity exceeded by the swollen river, creating a hydraulic about 50 yards downstream,” Jones said. “A hydraulic is a vertical reversal of water and causes a very dangerous, life-threatening situation. For example, if anything would have gone wrong in the rescue attempt, the rescuers would have been immediately swept into the hydraulic with little chance to escape.
“Firefighters Utz and Hess performed admirably under difficult circumstances and provided backup safety for the boat operation. Deputy Chief Haller subjected himself to great personal risk and exhibited great courage and leadership in executing a very difficult rescue.
“The team’s dedication, hard work, and professionalism were clearly evident throughout the course of this incident and their actions were in the finest tradition of the Department of Fire & Emergency Services and the fire service.”
Jones was assisted in presenting the awards by Vince Ashcraft, assistant chief with the Piqua department.
Monday night’s meeting was Councilman Rick Sims’ last one of his current term. Council passed a resolution congratulating him for his 17 years of dedicated service to the citizens of the Sidney, first as a council member from July 25, 1994, to Nov. 30, 2007; vice mayor from Dec. 1, 2001, to Nov. 30, 2007; and again as a member of council from Dec. 1, 2011, until Nov. 30, 2015.
Sims was defeated for re-election to an at-large council seat in the Nov. 3 election. He said at that time he did not plan to run again for council in the future.
The resolution reads, in part, “during his terms in office, the city of Sidney survived the Great Recession and faced other complex and difficult problems … the city of Sidney has experienced substantial growth while maintaining a high level of governmental services … his collaboration with council with respect to the careful stewardship of city resources has earned him the respect of the entire community.”
As the roll was called during the vote on the resolution, Sims drew a laugh from council when he quipped, “Can I vote for myself?”
Mayor Mike Barhorst presented Sims with a copy of the resolution and a plaque.
“You’ve always been a little bit like E.F. Hutton for me. … You don’t say a lot, but when you do, I listen,” Barhorst told Sims. “And I will miss your input.”
“Semper fi, Mr. Sims, semper fi,” fellow Marine and Councilman Darryl Thurber said.
Sims recognized his wife, Pamela, who was sitting in the audience, as his “biggest supporter.” Sims recalled that his father served on council in the 1960s. He said it was his sister Patricia, who died in April, who suggested he apply to fill a vacancy on council back in 1994. “I always said she had good taste,” Sims joked.
Council gave standing ovations to the firefighters and Sims.
