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HOOVERSVILLE - A Hooversville emergency medical technician was honored
Sunday for his courageous actions during a vehicle accident in December.
“ I am here today because of him,” Paul Bomboy of the Hooversville
Emergency Medical Services, said of fellow EMT Mike Shumaker.
Bomboy took part in awarding Shumaker the first ever Southern
Alleghenies Emergency Medical Services Council “Regional Star” award.
The award was presented amid a crowd of local emergency responders at
Camp Harmony in Hooversville.
According to a council press release, on Dec. 27, Shumaker risked his
own safety to save the lives of others during an accident on the Land
Street Bridge in Hooversville.
“You say they put their lives on the line every day,” council executive
director Sandra Jablonski said. “There it is.”
The accident started when vehicles crossing the bridge were involved in
an accident because of an ice storm. As Shumaker and other emergency
medical responders were aiding those victims, a fire truck lost control
on the ice and collided with an ambulance.
Shumaker is being credited for helping to save those hurt in the initial
accident and several emergency responders.
“It was a dangerous situation,” Shumaker said “It was a scary
situation.”
Bomboy said Shumaker stepped into danger and threw him out of the path
of a sliding vehicle.
“He had about two options of where to throw me,” Bomboy said. “One was
to throw me in the river.”
Somehow Shumaker found the right place of safety for Bomboy.
“God helped him make that calculation,” Bomboy said. “He went above and
beyond the call of duty.”
Shumaker said instinct took over when he saw the fire truck sliding
toward his fellow emergency responders.
“There was no time to think,” he said. “Just action.”
According to Jablonski, Shumaker’s actions may have saved the lives of
several people.
“It could have been a lot worse if not for one guardian angel standing
near,” she said.
Rick Kazmer can be reached at
rickk@dailyamerican.com.
Shumaker Named EMT of the
Year by the Commonwealth of PA
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