The American Red Cross honored more than a dozen emergency services personnel and area residents who volunteer their time serving as firefighters with lifesaving Heroes Awards on Wednesday at Shawnee Inn.

Among the honorees was Howard Schwartz of Slatington, who received the Emergency Services Hero Award.

Schwartz is a paramedic with St. Luke’s Monroe Campus. He and his crew responded to a motor vehicle crash on Interstate 80 involving two tractor-trailers.

Upon arriving at the scene, Schwartz saw that the second tractor-trailer had smashed into the back of the other trailer, crumpling the cab.

He climbed into the cab to communicate with the driver and hold his head to keep his airway open while fire crews extricated the driver from the wreckage.

During the more than hourlong extrication, Schwartz also was able to direct crews who were cutting the cab apart to help them avoid the entrapped patient.

“He provided care to the patient who was in and out of consciousness and continued rendering medical care despite his own safety,” said Michelle Baehr, executive director of the American Red Cross-Pocono Mountain Chapter.

“When you’re involved in an incident like that, there’s always fear,” he said. “There were a couple moments where stuff happens unexpectedly that were a little frightening.”

Schwartz’s actions saved the man’s life.

Schwartz said he was surprised to be receiving the honor.

“It was a team effort,” he said. “Being singled out is not something I expected. It took all of us to aid him, to get him out of the tractor trailer, not just me.”

West End Ambulance

Emergency Services Hero awards were also given to Patti Coop and Scott Brandt from the West End Ambulance EMT. The emergency medical technicians saved a victim who was bleeding severely when a tree fell on him.

And a group of first responders received Emergency Services Hero awards for their roles in saving the life of a toddler who was found by his grandfather at the bottom of the family pool.

Baehr read the account of what happened that day.

Awardee Michael Shay of the Monroe County 911 center received the call for pediatric drowning with cardiac arrest.

He gave the grandfather instructions over the phone on how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This helped the grandfather successfully perform CPR until EMTs could arrive.

Capt. Michael Manfre from the West End Fire Company, who was also honored, was the first on scene and took over CPR when he arrived.

After Tracy Sapkosky, Patrick Lento and Jason Abuiso, all from the West End Ambulance EMT, arrived, they took over for Manfre.

Stephen Shoults, a St. Luke’s advanced life support paramedic, was also honored for his actions that helped to save the child’s life.

“Next, we are going to honor a man who has been actively helping people since he was in high school 40 years ago,” Baehr said.

Community impact

Chris Kinsley, vice president and CEO of Kinsley Market in Tannersville and owner of ShopRite in Brodheadsville, was awarded the Community Impact Hero Award.

Kinsley has been a member of the Pocono Township Volunteer Fire Company in Monroe County since he was 16, and has held almost every position in the fire company, she said.

Kinsley said his grandfather and uncle both served in the fire department, so this service is in his blood.

“I always wanted to be a volunteer fireman,” he said.

The award, though, came as a surprise. This was the first time he has been honored for his service as a volunteer firefighter.

“I was very honored. You don’t do it for the awards,” he said.

Kinsley was recognized for his service and the work his fire company did in coordinated hundreds of firefighters as they came in to help fight the fire that destroyed Pocono Manor on Nov. 1.

“I really think it’s a great idea,” he said about the Hero’s Awards. “There are so many fire police, ambulance, Red Cross, Salvation Army. Nobody does it for that reason, but it’s nice to be recognized.”

Also receiving awards were: SPO Harry Shaffer of Wayne County, Law Enforcement Hero Award for motor vehicle crash in Hawley; officer Jack Apgar, Pocono Mountain Regional Police, Law Enforcement Hero Award for motor vehicle crash on Route 940 in Coolbaugh Township; and Lori and Robert Belon of Marshalls Creek, Animal Rescue Hero Award for their work rescuing animals from around the world.

The Heroes Awards were sponsored by St. Luke’s Monroe Campus, Blue Ridge Cable TV13, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Pocono Raceway and Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau.