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| OSP Astoria Trooper Receives Lifesaving Award | ||
| 11/26/2007 | ||
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Lieutenant Duane Stanton Oregon State Police - Astoria Office: (503) 325-5515  (Left to Right: Lieutenant Duane Stanton, Astoria Area Commander; Senior Trooper Rzewnicki; and Superintendent McLain) An Oregon State Police (OSP) Trooper from the Astoria Area Command office, who was one of two troopers credited with saving the life of a Hood to Coast Relay participant, received the "Harold R. Berg Lifesaving Award" Monday from OSP Superintendent Timothy McLain. Senior Trooper Dee Rzewnicki, a ten-year OSP veteran, and OSP Detective Terri Cassebarth were off-duty running the Hood To Coast Relay when they helped save the life of another runner after she collapsed on Highway 202 west of Mist. On August 25, 2007 at approximately 5:40 a.m. their team had just left exchange point #25 and was driving westbound on Highway 202 from Mist when they came upon a female runner collapsed on her back in the middle of the highway. Rzewnicki, an OSP First Responder / First Aid instructor, and Cassebarth got out of their vehicle and started assessing the woman's condition, finding she was not breathing and her faint pulse stopped. An unidentified woman from another participating team approached them and said she was a nurse from Kansas. As Rzewnicki stabilized the woman's head she directed others to help move traffic around the area and call 9-1-1 to get emergency response, Cassebarth and the unidentified Kansas nurse started CPR. Cassebarth did rescue breathing and the nurse began chest compressions. The woman's team members arrived on scene while CPR was being performed. After about 8 minutes, the woman who is in her mid-60's began to show signs of life. Ambulance personnel eventually arrived and transported her to St. Johns Hospital in Longview, Washington. She was later transferred to Oregon Health Sciences University where she was treated until her release from the hospital. Terri Cassebarth and Dee Rzewnicki have been members of OSP for ten years. Cassebarth is assigned as a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division at the Portland Area Command Office. Rzewnicki is a Senior Trooper in the Patrol Services Division at the Astoria Area Command Office. Detective Cassebarth will also be receiving the lifesaving award. The "Harold R. Berg Lifesaving Award" is named after Lieutenant Harold R. Berg who died on May 10, 1975. Lieutenant Berg, while off duty, was contacted by a citizen who informed him that a boy scout was missing at Cape Lookout State Park. While attempting to search a cave near the water's edge, he was washed out to sea. The award is given to State Police employees who distinguish themselves by performing or reacting to a situation in a positive and professional manner which saves, or reduces the risk of loss of life of another person; and, where a strong possibility existed that if such action wasn't taken, loss of life or serious injury would have resulted. ### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###
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