In a year that saw a handful of men lift a car off a trapped tot and two 10-year-olds rescue another child from an icy pond, the American Red Cross is trolling for a few good heroes.
Earlier this month, the Red Cross Mile High Chapter put out a call for humans and animals who had done something heroic over the past two years. But so far, there have been only 11 nominations. A few more wouldn’t hurt, said chapter spokeswoman Patricia Demchak Billinger.
“We want to remind people that the deadline is on Wednesday,” she said. “Folks who have been in the news tend to get nominated.”
So don’t worry about conservative talker Dan Caplis, co-host of KHOW’s “Caplis & Silverman Show,” who jolted a heart-attack victim with a defibrillator, saving the man’s life. He has been nominated.
So has Scott Martin, a full-time firefighter and paramedic with West Metro Fire Rescue, who — along with five other men — lifted a Toyota Corolla off a 3-year-old boy wedged between the pavement and the chassis in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart store in Evergreen.
Martin went on to clear the boy’s airway and used his radio to call for help, telling emergency workers that a helicopter would be needed to get the child to a hospital.
There were a number of well-publicized tales of heroism this year. Such as the story of young Delma Solis and her cousin, Azalea Ocon-Solis, who pulled a 3-year-old to safety after the boy fell in an icy pond while chasing a ball. They too have been nominated.
There are several categories for which there have been no nominees.
Animal lifesavers is among them.
Willie the parrot received the award at the last Breakfast of Champions. Willie alerted his owner, who was babysitting a toddler, that the child was choking by repeatedly squawking “Mamma, baby!”
In addition to individual child, adult and professional-lifesaver awards, there is one for a military lifesaver. A member of the military whose home base is in Colorado can be nominated for saving a life anywhere, not just in the United States, Billinger said. So far, there have been no nominations for that award.
Candidates also can be nominated for contributions to the community in the categories of lifetime health care achievement, community lifesaver and community diversity hero.
The winners will be honored at the Red Cross’ Breakfast of Champions on March 18.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
Got a hero to nominate?
Submit the story at ColoradoRedCross.org/heroes
