Recognition Given for Good Action at Recent Effingham House Fires

(FROM LEFT, KENNY TUCKER, ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF MATT KULESZA, FIRE CHIEF BOB TUTKO, KENNY'S SON BRIAN TUCKER AND BUDDY)

Effingham Fire Chief Bob Tutko took time at Tuesday night's City Council meeting to recognize individuals for service at two recent Effingham house fires.

One was at the fire on Shadyside Drive on November 20. Responding crews were recognized for quick actions that led to salvaging some of the home and getting the occupant, Kenny Tucker, out relatively unharmed. Recognition was also given Tucker's dog, Buddy, for alerting his owner of the fire, allowing Tucker to escape safely.

(THE FIRE CREWS WHO ASSISTED ON SCENE; FROM LEFT: ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF MATT KULESZA, FIRE CHIEF BOB TUTKO, FIREFIGHTERS BRADEN PUCKETT, AARON PADDOCK, ALEX JEFFRIES, JAMIE LIDSTER, MATT CARPENTER AND MATT SCHABBING; 2ND ASST CHIEF JIM WOLTERS; CAPTAIN JEFF LANDRUS, LIEUTENANT JASON LEE; FIREFIGHTERS LUCAS KROENING, JOHN STROUD AND A.J. TACKETT. NOT PRESENT: CAPTAIN J.R. NIEMAN, FIREFIGHTER BLAKE POE; LT. T.J. METCALF, AND 2ND LT. HOWARD JANIS)

Recognition was also given who assisted on a house fire on Clinton Avenue on November 10. Firefighters were recognized for their quick attack that kept the fire from spreading further and resulting in a total loss of the house. 

(THOSE RECOGNIZED, LEFT TO RIGHT: FIRE CHIEF BOB TUTKO, FIREFIGHTERS WAYNE BOERNGEN AND A.J. TACKETT, CAPTAIN JEFF LANDRUS, AND FIREFIGHTER JOHN STROUD)