According to Dowagiac Director of Public Safety Steven Grinnewald, serving and protecting the people of one’s community is a job that is occupied by those with a unique sense of duty.

People who choose to don the badge or suit up in a fire jacket do so because they want to do so, not because they must do so. Every time a police officer gets a call from the dispatcher or a firefighter hears the siren go off in the firehouse, these dedicated public servants know that their next destination could be their last.

However, even in a profession where one must deal with others going through the worst time of their lives, there are rewards that go far beyond mere numbers on a paystub: a sense of accomplishment knowing one has helped someone else going through a tough time; saving a family’s house and belongings from being destroyed; or knowing that one’s actions have made the streets just a little safer, Grinnewald said.

“The most rewarding honor for anyone working in these professions is knowing that you have saved someone’s life,” Grinnewald said. “What better way to impact a person’s life — or those of the entire community — than by saving it.”

On Monday, two Dowagiac public safety officers were honored for their heroism earlier this year, when their actions helped saved the life of person suffering from a drug overdose. Grinnewald presented two Life Saving Awards to officer James Kusa and firefighter Lt. Anthony Stewart during the Dowagiac City Council meeting that evening in city hall.

The incident occurred on April 14, when members of both the Dowagiac police and fire departments were dispatched on a medical emergency call, after someone had called dispatchers stating that they had found a man down the ground, struggling to breathe, somewhere in the city. Due to the language barrier between the caller and the dispatcher, first responders only knew that the victim was located somewhere along North Paul Street, which left officers frantically searching the area for him.

The caller eventually mentioned the word “premier” to the dispatcher, which was relayed to the responding officers. Kusa was the first to arrive at the Premier Tool & Die Cast Machining building, where he discovered the victim in a shed behind the structure.

Kusa noticed the victim was in dire condition, with very shallow breathing and no detectable pulse. Seeing that he had no apparent injuries, Kusa recognized that the man was suffering from a possible drug overdose and delivered a dose of Narcan — a medication issued to officers to help people suffering from narcotic overdoses — to the victim.

Stewart arrived next on scene, when Kusa was delivering a second round of Narcan to the man. The firefighter took charge of the victim’s care, positioning him and attempting to communicate with him.

The Narcan began to take effect shortly thereafter, with the victim coming around. Stewart got the man to admit that he had taken heroin.

An ambulance arrived a short time later, and the two turned the victim, who at that point had regained his ability to walk, over to emergency medical technician for treatment.

“According to the EMTs on scene, if the victim had stayed in his current state for any longer period of time, he would have died,” Grinnewald said.

Grinnewald praised the two for their swift and adept response to the situation. The chief added that they embody the best qualities that all police and firefighters should strive for: compassion, pride, professionalism, honor, respect and integrity.

“I am extremely proud to work with these professionals, as well as all the professionals who comprise our police and fire departments,” Grinnewald said. “Your hard work, dedication, commitment and honor are all something we strive to achieve. I am extremely proud of the job that you did on this incident, and the job you continue to do each and every day.”

Following the presentation, city leaders and members of the audience gave Kusa and Stewart a standing ovation. Among those who praised the two for their actions was 2nd Ward Councilman Jim Dodd, a retired city firefighter, who said he knew Kusa back when he was a reserve officer more than 40 years ago, and that he remembered when Stewart first joined the Dowagiac firehouse.

“I’m proud of all these guys,” Dodd said. “You’re doing a real good job.”