Suburban Heroes: Off-duty Naperville firefighter saves a retired fire chief's life

Todd Overmyer wasn't working one fall day last year while driving in Yorkville.

And then the next moment, he was.

The firefighter/paramedic for the Naperville Fire Department saw a motorcycle had crashed with two other vehicles, leaving its rider on the ground.

Although off duty, Overmyer parked and ran over.

The rider got to thank him in person for doing so because of what Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis called Overmyer's "lifesaving skills."

Puknaitis honored Overmyer with the department's Lifesaving Award for the early assistance he provided to retired Franklin Park fire Chief Steve Iovinelli after Iovinelli's motorcycle crashed Oct. 21 near Route 53 and Wynstone Drive.

After suffering injuries to his head, pelvis and wrists, requiring him to lie "almost upside-down" in a Loyola University Medical Center bed in Maywood for weeks, Iovinelli has made a full recovery.

"I still can't believe you're not even walking with a cane," Puknaitis told his fire comrade during a ceremony honoring Overmyer.

After the crash occurred, Puknaitis said Overmyer opened an airway for Iovinelli, who was having difficulty breathing. Overmyer stabilized Iovinelli and "put him in a position that did not cause any spinal injuries," Puknaitis said.

When responders with the Troy Fire Protection District arrived, Overmyer relayed his assessment of Iovinelli's injuries and helped load the patient into an ambulance.

"If it wasn't for the lifesaving skills of Todd, I know Steve would not be standing with us today," Puknaitis said.

But standing he was at the beginning of a Naperville City Council meeting when Overmyer received his award. Standing and thankful.

"Firefighter Overmyer exemplifies what it means to be a firefighter/paramedic in today's day and age," Iovinelli said. "Whether we're in uniform or not, we're always on duty. For that reason, I really appreciate the fact that Todd was there."

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