First responders, family and a neighbor were recognized for their role in a rescue of an elderly man critically injured and submerged in water for hours following a tractor rollover accident near Harvard.
The Harvard Fire Protection District last week presented several lifesaving awards recognizing “extraordinary actions” taken during a July 20 rescue.
Firefighters were dispatched around 2:45 p.m. that day to the area Bunker Hill Road and Island Road in unincorporated Harvard for a report of a man trapped beneath a tractor in a waterway.
First responders arrived and found Bob Dodson pinned under the equipment and mostly submerged in water.
He had been trapped for several hours before being located by his family, Harvard Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said.
Responders coordinated a complex rescue operation that ultimately saved Dodson’s life while working with limited resources and challenging conditions.
Awards were presented to Maggie, Bob’s wife, and Robin, his daughter, in recognition of their quick 911 call and efforts to keep him calm until help arrived, Vucha said.
Neighbor Bob Gould was also honored for his “quick thinking and bravery” in using his front-end loader to help lift the equipment while firefighters worked to free Dodson, Vucha said.
Lifesaving awards were also presented to Harvard Firefighter/EMT JJ Gerish and Harvard Firefighter/Paramedic Josiah Erber, whose coordinated efforts and patient care played a “vital role” in the rescue.
The fire district said they also extend appreciation to the dispatchers, medical helicopter crew and all those who assisted with coordination and logistics during the incident.
“The Harvard Fire Protection District commends everyone involved for their courage, teamwork, and commitment to helping others when every second mattered,” the district said.
Vucha said access to the scene was extremely limited with rough terrain and no paved roadway.
Most equipment had to be transported using pickup trucks or all-wheel-drive utility vehicles to reach the scene.
Dodson had suffered critical injuries when the tractor rolled over and he had been exposed to the water for an extended period.
A UW Health Med Flight helicopter landed in a field at the scene and transported him to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford for treatment.