Co-worker

While on vacation with his family in Sturgis, South Dakota in August 2023, Deputy Shipman noticed an incident involving a SD State Trooper that was being shot at by a male suspect. The trooper was on the ground with the suspect still posing a threat. Deputy Shipman retrieved a family member’s firearm and provided support for the trooper, likely saving his life. The suspect was taken into custody successfully. Deputy Shipman displayed bravery and fortitude in a chaotic environment with no bullet proof vest, radio, aid kit, or even his own firearm. This type of action requires a level of selflessness that is hard to imagine and showed that Deputy Shipman is truly courageous.

Supervisor

Officer Kelly Hanna was involved in an incident in January of 2024 when he received information that a student from Ordean East Middle School was suicidal, left the building, and was heading toward the Congdon Park bridge. It’s important to note that on this particular day, Duluth was getting one of the few snow storms of the winter. At the time of this call there was heavy snow, strong winds, and slippery conditions. With this information, Officer Hanna ran out of the school in the windy, slippery, and snowy conditions. He soon located the student in distress, holding on for their life off of the outside railing of a bridge that spanned a creek 60 feet over the water’s surface. The student had no gloves or winter clothing and was holding onto the metal railing. He said to the student in a calm voice “Let me help you”, and the student replied “NO”. Most times Officers would back off at this point and start negotiating, but due to the weather conditions, the freezing cold metal railing, and the student hanging on the outside of the bridge about 60 feet above Congdon Creek, Officer Hanna continued moving toward the student saying repeatedly in a compassionate voice “Let Me Help You.” Feeling the student was not going to be strong enough to hang on much longer, or be strong enough to pull themselves back to safety, Officer Hanna acted swiftly. He was able to grab the student by himself and pull the student back over the railing to safety. Thank God Officer Hanna is a strong and fit person, because it was an incredible display of physical strength to make that lift. I can’t emphasize enough that all these decisions were made within seconds by Officer Hanna. Because of his quick thinking and outstanding police work on this day, a student’s life was saved. This is yet another example of how important it is to have SRO’s in the schools. In summary, Officer Kelly Hanna’s unwavering dedication, compassion, and quick thinking led to a life being saved, and makes him an exceptional candidate for the Minnesota 100 Club 1st Responder of the Year Award. His commitment to serving the youth extends far beyond the call of duty, leaving an enduring legacy of positive influence and inspiration. Thank you for considering Officer Kelly Hanna for this esteemed recognition.

Co-Worker

Mack works for the City of Minneapolis police as a Sergeant in the Juvenile Unit. The media tells only a small part of the story and the actual issue with the juveniles and the theft of autos, aggrevated assaults and theft. Mack has put numerous hours in working on these cases and giving each victim the time and effort that all victims deserve. At any given time, he could have 50 to 100 cases involving theft of vehicles on his desk, and he looks into each and all of them. The amount that actually occurs and the requirements the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office places on officers to get them actually charged out is outrageous. He goes into each day knowing that he can only control his controllables. He has assisted numerous other police departments with same or similar cases. I may be biased in this nomination, but if the public knew how much time and consideration he places into each case they would be amazed. He works hard on his cases and will always lend a hand to a coworker in need even if it means taking time away from his case and restructuring his day. He works hard and at times it appears he is under-appreciated and overworked. This is not long, but words cannot show the worthiness of him receiving this award.

Co-Worker

Officer Pfielsticker is a new cop who goes out and works hard to find and catch intoxicated drivers. Within the Wabasha County, he has highest DUI arrest rate. Although not even being full time for a full year, he is still leading the way!

Co-Worker

Deputy Abdirahman was selected as a nominee for the First Responder of The Year Award for the following reason: On October 12, 2023, Deputy Abdirahman was alerted to an inmate in medical distress and immediately rendered aid by notifying medical staff and providing security for the responding nurse’s safety. Deputy Abdirahman’s professional experience during this medical crisis aided his ability to identify the inmate’s medical emergency as a possible opioid related overdose. Deputy Abdirahman relayed this information to responding medical staff, enabling effective care for the inmate. In addition, Deputy Abdirahman called for an ambulance for an emergency transport to a HCMC. During this medical emergency, Deputy Abdirahman’s security prowess prompted him to search the inmate for possible narcotics, and he discovered a clear plastic bag containing narcotics concealed in the inmate’s left sock. Deputy Abdirahman’s prompt reaction and diligence aided a quick and effective response from medical staff to render necessary aid to a person in medical crisis and the seizure of narcotics prevented harm to other inmates in jail custody.

Co-Worker

On June 22, 2023, sergeant Herman and I had a subject hang themself if their cell. Carrie’s quick response was definitely something to learn from being I was still very new.

Co-Worker

There is no one act or incident that I can think of that would summarize the character, the motivation, the generosity, the sacrifice that Sgt. Goad has put into helping everyone around him. From helping in day to day tasks, to the limitless effort he puts into his job within the facility, his role in SORT and SOG, the FTO Program and as an absolutely superior Sgt and hopefully soon to be Lieutenant. Sgt. Goad goes above and beyond to ensure the job is done and everyone goes home safely.

Co-Worker

Not only is Erica Sandberg a force within our facility here at the Moose Lake Department Of Corrections, where she willingly steps in and assists her fellow officers during and after shifts, in May 2024 she responded outside of the facility on the main highway in town to a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident. Not only first making sure all of her fellow officers were safe on the side of the road, but taking the initiative to start life saving measures. Despite being unsuccessful, Erica stayed true to her morals and obligations as a first responder on scene to ensure steps were taken to make sure the victims family was found, as well as checked in on her coworkers for the weeks following. Erica is the reason many people got through the incident and were able to get the help needed to continue their days following.

Supervisor

Capt Ashlee Berts has been a tireless champion for improved security in MN DOC Correctional Facilities. During the nomination period she recognized the rampant problem of illicit substances being mailed into facilities. These substances were used being used by the population to get high and often led to dangerous and erratic behavior, greatly jeopardizing the safety to the staff and well-being of the incarcerated. She acted as project lead to look for strategies to reduce or eliminate the contraband being introduced to the facilities. A pilot process, data tracking, and analysis of results has led to the DOC developing processes which are effectively combating the issue. In her role as project lead, Capt. Berts remained steadfast in her push for change. She recognized clear and present dangers to both the staff and incarcerated and persevered to find a workable solution. Her leadership in this was invaluable to agency and showed her commitment to the core principles and mission of the MN DOC.

Supervisor

Mercedes has been employed with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office for 4 years as a Correctional Deputy. She went to training and became a Field Training Officer in 2022. She continues to ask for more training to help her become better at her job and allow her the tools to help others. Mercedes takes call that she doesn’t get paid for to take the pressure off Jail Administration. There is no staff that goes more above and beyond than Mercedes. When asked to complete extra tasks she takes them on without any complaint and completes them to the best of her ability. She assists in preparing for our Jail inspections without being asked. Mercedes became the first female Fairmont Fire Fighter (2023) all while working full-time and being a single mother. She also volunteers within the community, within other departments to help in training others and is a coach for her kid’s soccer team. Merecedes is an active leader in our department and sets a great example for others she works with. She is policy driven and holds herself to a high standard. Mercedes makes sure that the incarcerated persons and staff follow the standards set by Jail Administration. She carries herself with confidence and takes pride in the job she does.

Supervisor

Bart has been a major part of our EMS response since the moment I was hired as Chief almost 10 years ago. But this last year he has pushed even further and taking things to the next level. Bart is an EMS trainer for our department through SEEMS. He did not do this for pay. He did it strictly to help our department maintain our EMS training and to take us to the level where our personnel are more confident in their EMS skills. He is on the SEEMS training board to help build and develop our training. He has a passion that goes beyond just helping. He wants everyone around him to be better than he is. He truly is “passing it on”. Bart also took it upon himself to work on implementing a Help Program for our community. We are an aging community and all too often people do not know what resources are out there to help them. He is working with multiple organizations and health care facilities to truly help the post 911 succeed. He just does not want to go on the 911 call and that is it. He wants the citizens of Albert Lea to have a safe and healthy life style while living in our community. Bart is what we all want to find in a person. He has passion and cares about what he does. He does not do it for awards or recognition. Often times he tries to hide himself in the background on projects and tries to give others credit when the credit all goes to him. I feel he is the best candidate for his award and should be recognized for what he has done in the EMS community.

Co-Worker

“On January 3, 2024 tragedy struck the East Side of Saint Paul when emergency dispatchers received a distress call from a residence, only to be met with silence on the other end. Responding with urgency, fire crews arrived to find a single-family home engulfed in flames and heavy smoke. Despite the perilous conditions, Firefighters Jacob Ryks and Mason Conlin demonstrated extraordinary bravery and selflessness. Repeatedly entering the burning home, they faced intense heat and zero visibility, yet remained resolute in their mission. Each time they emerged, they carried an unconscious child, passing the victims to waiting EMS providers before plunging back into the smoke-filled home. Through their relentless and heroic efforts, Ryks and Conlin successfully rescued a total of five children, giving these young lives the best possible chance for survival. Their actions exemplified the highest standards of courage and dedication, going far beyond the call of duty. Firefighters Jacob Ryks and Mason Conlin’s unwavering commitment and valor on that fateful morning have undoubtedly earned them recognition.”

Co-Worker

Nicole has helped our service flourish and grow, she has maintained our ambulance service’s operations, scheduling, staffing and finances through trials and tribulations that threatened the service’s continued longevity, and she has been serving our community for over 15 years! She tirelessly worked to increase funding through coordinating with our City Council, Mayor and the cities and townships we serve. She completely understands the struggles of rural EMS and has pushed to ensure that the community understands the value of rural ambulance services. Not only does Nicole work on everything under the Director’s title from scheduling to payroll to personnel management, she also covers hundreds of hours on our schedule to ensure that our community has an ambulance to respond to their emergencies. She is without a doubt one of the most dedicated, loyal and selfless people we know. She fosters a family atmosphere within our department by bringing everyone together for BBQ’s and meals, and will always answer her phone to help a fellow crew member – whether it be professionally or personally. We can always count on her showing up. She will always lend a hand, an ear or a text message with words of advise and encouragement. She also coordinates city events like Night to Unite and helps with the Annual Hayfield Ambulance Car & Truck show. To say that she takes the Director’s position seriously is an understatement. Beyond the stresses of the office, funding and management, she has responded to a couple of her most traumatic calls for service in the past year and she continues to show up – for the community and for her team! She is an admired leader in our community and she deserves to be acknowledged as such!

Co-worker

It’s hard to just give one incident, as they are numerous even in the time frame. I witnessed this amazing team member identify and resuscitate ( ROSC) a cardiac arrest (STEMI) victim last week, effectively manage a team, comfort a family member, and support her team members in a truly heroic manner. She was empathetic, supportive and generous. The prior week I witnessed Ms. Greenwaldt comfort a family member who had just discovered their dead husband, and the weeks prior to that I witnessed heroic saves for anaphylaxis, respiratory arrest and drug overdose. Ms. Greenwaldt is exceptional in many ways. She is leading the charge to improve quality assurance at a rural ambulance service, she is driving education reform in this rural service, she is endorsing and acting on protocol advancement, and advocating for an elevation of practice to the full licenses of the EMT’s she is working with. Ms. Greenwaldt is dedicated to the values of patient care, team, family, and the improvement of the profession of EMS. She has overcome many obstacles in her career path, both personal and professional, and although she is still young in EMS, she exhibits many of the characteristics I want my current and future team members to share. She is an EMS hero on many levels and has my deepest confidence in her abilities to lead others and be the change champion we need to see in this profession.

Co-Worker

I am writing to nominate Linda Day for the First Responder of the Year award posthumously. Linda Day exemplified dedication and professionalism during her tenure as a Morrison County dispatcher, and her actions during a critical incident highlight her extraordinary contribution to public safety. On May 25th, 2024, during a routine traffic stop initiated by Officer Axel Lange, a situation quickly escalated when the suspect attempted to seize the officer’s firearm. This left Officer Axel Lange fighting for his life on the side of a rural road in Morrison County. In the midst of chaos, Linda Day remained remarkably composed and swiftly coordinated an emergency response. Her quick thinking and precise communication ensured that additional units, first responders, an ambulance, and air care were dispatched promptly to the scene. Despite the intense pressure of the situation, Linda Day’s calm demeanor and expert handling of the dispatch operations were pivotal in the successful resolution of the incident. Thanks to her proficiency and clear-headedness, the event ended in the best possible way for Deputy Lange. Tragically, Linda Day passed away unexpectedly on June 12th, 2024, while vacationing with her family in Golden, British Columbia in a whitewater rafting accident. Her untimely demise is a profound loss to her colleagues, the community, and her loved ones, but her legacy of unwavering professionalism and dedication to public service will be remembered. Linda devoted her life to serving others. As a young camp counselor, and later program director at a Bible camp, she nurtured countless children and was a beacon of warmth and kindness. She then went on to be a paramedic where she fearlessly rushed to emergencies and offered comfort and lifesaving care amidst chaos. She flourished as a dispatcher where her calm voice and quick decision-making ability saved countless lives. Her legacy is not just one of professional excellence, but of a profound kindness that touched every life she encountered. She left a lasting imprint of selflessness and care. I urge you to consider Linda Day for this esteemed recognition as her selfless actions on May 25th, 2024, embody the highest ideals of a first responder. Her unwavering commitment to duty and her profound impact on public safety make her exceptionally deserving of this honor.

Co-worker

Lindsey has been a favorite dispatcher among all officers who utilize Benton County dispatch. From keeping the public entertained on social media, to making sure all officers are safe on scene, as well as making some great jokes during the down time. Lindsey always has a smile on her face, even when going through hard times.

Co-worker

On March 30th, 2024, Brianna had two significant calls in the early morning hours among the many other calls she took that day. The first call, Brianna delivered a baby over the phone by giving birthing instructions to the caller. She did a very good job saving the call in a timely manner, getting EMS and rescue teams enroute, and giving proper instructions to the caller after the baby came out until responders could arrive on scene. She did a phenomenal job. The second call she took was of a female who shot herself in the head, committing suicide. She talked to the male caller who had found the female and obtained important information about the scene and what was going on. She obtained important information like where on the body the gunshot wound was and the weapon location, along with many other important details needed for the units responding to the scene. She did an outstanding job handling two calls on opposite sides of the spectrum in a very short amount of time, with no time to reflect in between calls.