Buffalo Grove firefighters honored for rescuing driver from frozen pond

In the early morning hours of Feb. 2, Buffalo Grove firefighters rushed to 901 E. Deerfield Parkway, where they found a person trapped inside a vehicle partially submerged in a frozen pond.

Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Potesta donned an ice rescue suit and went in to help the victim, assisted by Lincolnshire firefighters.

With Buffalo Grove fire Lt. Steve Rusin overseeing the operation, firefighters found the victim disoriented and suffering from hypothermia, Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Mike Baker said.

Potesta and Firefighter/Paramedic Scott Renshaw removed the victim from the vehicle and placed him in a rescue basket before he was pulled to shore and taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for treatment.

The heroic actions of the firefighters were honored last week by the Buffalo Grove village board. Along with Potesta, Rusin and Renshaw, village leaders recognized Battalion Chief Ron Two Bulls, Battalion Chief Shawn Collins, Acting Lt. Chad McCormick, Firefighter/Paramedic engineer Nick Wehrheim, Firefighter/Paramedic, Adam Schroeder, Firefighter/Paramedic Austin Eaton, Acting Lt. Tyler Petersen, Firefighter/Paramedic Joshua Himmelspach, Firefighter/Paramedic Dennis Quill and Firefighter Paramedic Kyle Dalton.

"Without their interventions, expertise and timeliness, the outcome of the incident could have been tragic," Baker said.