Mundelein honored for rescue efforts

The Mundelein Fire Department's successful efforts to save the life of a crash victim in November have earned a top prize from another rescue agency.

The department has received the 15th annual Scene Call of the Year Award from Flight for Life, the Wisconsin-based helicopter service that transports severely injured patients to area hospitals after accidents or other emergencies.

"It was a surprise," Fire Chief Tim Sashko said of the award. "It validates the fact that we're training properly and executing properly."

The award recognizes the Mundelein department's actions on Nov. 19, 2008. That morning, a large gravel truck hit a Honda Accord that had turned into its path on Route 83 at Hawley Street, authorities said.

The impact crushed the smaller vehicle, badly injuring motorist Aileen Drugan, then 53, of Round Lake.

"It was a very violent collision (with) heavy damage to the vehicle," said Tammy Chatman, a spokesman for the helicopter service's base in McHenry.

After using hydraulic equipment to free Drugan from the car, firefighters quickly assessed her injuries, treated her and brought in the Flight for Life helicopter for rapid transport to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Chatman said. Lutheran General is the closest Level 1 trauma center.

Drugan, who later was ticketed for turning in front of the truck, survived.

"You have those calls when everything goes right, and this was one of those calls," Chatman said.

The award, which was scheduled to be bestowed during Monday night's village board meeting, comes with a $500 scholarship for future emergency training, Sashko said.

The Mundelein Fire Department is one of two agencies to be awarded the Scene Call of the Year prize this year. The Salem, Wis., Fire Rescue Department received the award in a separate category for departments made of paid-on-call and full-time firefighters, Chatman said.

Sashko said he's pleased with the award and what it says about his staff.

"We go through a lot of training in order to just land a helicopter safely to transport a patient," he said. "It's nice to know you really, really dotted the i's and crossed the t's."