Citizens and City of Erie Employees Recognized for Acts of Heroism
A special Press Conference was held on Thursday, November 26, 2024, to recognize several amazing residents and City of Erie employees who demonstrated selfless acts of courage in our community.
Five citizens played a crucial role in rescuing a young boy from a house fire in September which tragically claimed the life of his 4-year-old brother. According to Erie Fire Department Fire Marshals, without the brave efforts of these neighbors, the older brother would likely have also perished. It is important to acknowledge these citizens for their courage and quick thinking: Jerry McClellan, Wesley McNeil-Zuck, Raul Rodriquez, Mikhayla Dugan, and Sierra Dugan. Sierra and Mikhayla Dugan were outside when they saw a house on fire just before 1 a.m. They immediately called 911 and used their car horn to alert neighbors. They then ran to the house, pounding on the door and yelling to wake the occupants. Their efforts woke the 11-year-old boy who had been asleep. Three other neighbors, Raul Rodriquez, Wesley McNeil-Zuck, and Jerry McClellan took swift action to begin rescue efforts. The 11-year-old boy attempted to leave his bedroom into the main part of the house but was blocked by smoke and heat. He returned to his room, closed his door, and headed to his window. The boy put his hand out the window alerting the neighbors to his location. The neighbors worked to boost one another high enough to reach the window, which they then broke, and pulled the boy to safety. Thanks to their quick thinking and selfless actions, these five residents were able to help the boy escape with only minor injuries. The City of Erie is incredibly grateful for their selfless act of heroism and bravery.
On October 24, 2024, two City of Erie Public Works employees, Derick Page and Adam Hoibraten performed an outstanding act of heroism and bravery that likely saved the life of an Erie residents and kept a house fire from spreading to neighboring properties. The two employees from the Streets Department were working on the 1300 block of West 32nd Street filling potholes shortly after 10:00 a.m. when they noticed a fire at a nearby residence and immediately called the fire department. Upon hearing a scream for help from inside the home, the two quickly ran to the door and helped an elderly woman who had suffered burns to her hands outside of the house for her safety. They then returned to the house with a fire extinguisher and yelled inside to check if anyone else was in the residence. They remained on site until fire crews arrived. The quick thinking and acts of bravery and heroism displayed by both Derick and Adam helped ensure the resident got to safety and fire crews were alerts promptly before the fire could spread to other residences. The City of Erie is grateful to Derick and Adam and is proud to have them as members of the Public Works Department.
On the evening of Sunday, November 3, 2024, City of Erie Public Works employees Aaron Spinelli, Omarion Robinson, and Mike Veenstra were on Shawnee Drive doing their usual route of collecting recyclables. Early November brought incredibly dry weather to the entire region, making Erie more prone to fire than usual. The three employees noticed a nearby brush fire which was rapidly spreading due to this dry weather to nearby properties. They quickly worked together to wake up and alert affected residents to ensure their safety and called the fire department which arrived quickly and contained the blaze. Due to their quick thinking and bravery, the employees prevented any major impact on the homes and ensured the physical safety of the residents, who were extremely grateful for the employees’ actions and involvement. The City of Erie commends Aaron, Omarion, and Mike and is proud to have them as members of the City of Erie Public Works Department.