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The City Council last Wednesday recognized a high school student for helping to save property and lives and deputies whose quick response and action helped to save a woman’s life. Genevieve Segura was walking her dog after school on May 1 when she heard a smoke alarm and saw smoke billowing from a neighboring home that was connected to her house. She immediately grabbed her cell phone and called 911. Within minutes, the Fire Authority responded and extinguished the fire. It was caused by a light on a fish tank that had short-circuited sparking the flames. The firemen noted that had the call come in even 10 minutes later, the entire unit, and maybe the entire building including Genevieve’s home, would have been engulfed in flames. Her quick action also saved the lives of the fish in the tank and a family dog who was hiding under a bed and would have perished had the flames spread. The council also recognized Sergeant Dave Harrington for receiving the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Medal of Merit and Deputies Eric Brown and Steve Yannizzi for receiving the Medal of Lifesaving. Harrington recently received the honor for significantly improving officer safety for patrol deputies. With grant funds, he obtained new tactical equipment that safely stores rifles in patrol vehicles and obtained ballistic vests capable of stopping rifle rounds that are now issued to all patrol deputies. He also helped obtain new Individual First Aid Kits (IFAK) specifically designed for deputies to provide emergency first aid when paramedics are not able to respond due to dangerous conditions. Brown and Yannizzi received the Medal of Lifesaving for saving the life of a 50-year-old resident who suffered a heart attack last September. Both deputies responded and arrived within two minutes to find Nadia Attalla without a pulse and not breathing. Her 17-year-old relative had recently took a CPR course and administered what she had learned. The two deputies began CPR and continued non-stop for six minutes before Nadia’s heart began to beat. The Fire Authority arrived and provided additional medical care and took her to the hospital where she made a full recovery. On Wednesday, Nadia and her family attended the council’s meeting to thank the deputies for saving her life. Aliso Viejo Middle School’s “Pumped Up Kicks” team was also recognized by the City Council for competing in the global finals of Destination ImagiNation at the end of May and placing 15th out of 50 teams. Before that, the students placed 1st in the regional competition and 2nd in the state competition. The team includes Kate Polucha; Lexi Franklin; Amanda Laguna; Megan Groothuis; and Trevor Franklin. The City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of the month at City Hall, 12 Journey. For more information, visit www.cityofalisoviejo.com. Kelly Tokarski KT Community Relations |
