Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse Cardinal Joint Fire District firefighters / paramedics Herb Fogle and Kara Kesner were presented Tuesday with the “Life Saving Award” for their efforts late last year in rescuing a woman from a sinking vehicle. They were honored at Tuesday’s fire district meeting.

CANFIELD — Two firefighters at the Cardinal Joint Fire District were honored for their life-saving action related to a Sept. 2, 2022, call about a car in a pond.

Cardinal Chief Don Hutchison said the call came in at 10:22 p.m. regarding “a car in the pond with the driver still in it” on Blueberry Hill. Herb Fogle and Kara Kesner were both working at Station 2 on Herbert Road, which was a half mile from the pond.

“When arrived, they found a car 75 percent submerged with a driver calling for help,” Hutchison said. “The crew removed anything that would make them sink and waded into the murky pond. With water above their waist, they calmed the driver and waited for help from Station 1 to arrive.”

Hutchison said when Squad 101 arrived, the crew threw ropes and carabiners (a coupling link used by mountain climbers) to the wading rescuers. They were able to get a rope around the driver and pull her out of the car through the rear passenger door. The water was said to have reached the driver’s neck.

“Without even thinking, these firefighters /paramedics sprang into action as soon as they arrived, Hutchison said. “I believe without their quick thinking, the car with the belted driver may have gone underwater.”

Both of the firefighter-medics had to return to Station 2 and decontaminate themselves and get ready for the next call.

After presenting Fogle and Kesner with their certificates, Hutchison brought a box into the meeting. He pulled new rescue ropes from the box and issued both firefighters their own rope.

“We are going to issue every fire fighter a rescue rope that will be part of their equipment,” Hutchison said. “You two are the first to receive them.”

After issuing the ropes, Kesner was kept up front to receive her paramedic pin from Capt. Connor O’Halloran. She was said to possibly be a first for Ohio.

“She may well be the first Ohio nurse to fast track into a paramedic,” Hutchison said.

O’Halloran said moving from nurse to paramedic has been happening across the nation, but he is not aware of it being done in Ohio as of yet.

The normal path to becoming a paramedic is to go through EMT-Basic training, then EMT training, putting in work experience and finally taking the paramedic training. That can take up to two years to complete, but in Kesner’s situation, she already learned much of what she needed by completing a nursing degree. She also met all the “must haves” of problem solving skills, physical strength, ability to remain calm, empathy and strong communication skills.

Regarding both rescuers, Hutchison said he realized the rescue was nine months ago, but because of work schedules, it was hard to get both Fogle and Kesner together.

jtwhitehouse@vindy.com