By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Two Del Rio firefighters were honored during Tuesday’s city council meeting for their recent life-saving efforts.
Del Rio Fire Department Engineer Jesse Bishop and DRFD Firefighter Miguel Rubio were each awarded the Medal of Merit for their efforts in saving the life of a man found unresponsive in a local apartment despite the possible presence of a dangerous narcotic, DRFD Chief David Harrison told city council members as he prepared to present the award.
“The Medal of Merit is awarded to personnel who have distinguished themselves by performing an act where the individual’s actions, if not taken, would have resulted in serious injury or imminent danger to life. The individual must have demonstrated a conspicuous act of bravery with calculated personal risk to his or her own life,” Harrison told the council.
Harrison then recounted the actions Bishop and Rubio took that resulted in their saving of the man’s life.
“On the evening of Aug. 28, 2022, Engineer Jesse Bishop was the acting lieutenant for Fire Department Company 4, and Firefighter Miguel Rubio was the Acting Engineer when a call was received to assist EMS with multiple unresponsive patients.
“Company 4 responded, and upon arriving on scene found there were several individuals observed outside (an) apartment ‘screaming, crying and vomiting.’ It was reported to Company 4 that there were several people in the apartment that were deceased on arrival, and EMS had requested a hazardous materials team from Laughlin Air Force Base. It was also reported there was a white powder present in the apartment.
“The scene was intense when Company 4 arrived, and the police officers on scene were having difficulty controlling the people outside the apartment. No one had reportedly entered the apartment except for a relative of an occupant of the apartment who was reportedly outside vomiting.
“Acting Lieutenant Bishop donned his protective clothing and a self-contained breathing apparatus and entered the apartment to triage the people inside while Acting Engineer Rubio, also in full protective clothing, stood by to assist if necessary. Acting Lieutenant Bishop entered the apartment and reported one individual downstairs that was deceased and then proceeded upstairs.
“Upstairs, Acting Lieutenant Bishop reported another individual that was deceased. He then reported that there was an individual with agonal breathing and that he was bringing the individual out. Acting Engineer Rubio entered the apartment and assisted Acting Lieutenant Bishop with removing the individual from the apartment.
“Once outside care of patient was taken over by EMS personnel who began resuscitative measures. After exiting the apartment and transferring care, Bishop and Rubio were taken to be decontaminated by two firefighters from Fire Department Company 1,” Harrison said.
He told the council a field test of the white powder in the apartment showed cocaine and traces of fentanyl, a potentially lethal narcotic, though a later, more comprehensive test by a state lab did not find fentanyl present.
Harrison told the council, “For their efforts in entering a potentially hazardous environment and successfully rescuing a patient who survived due to their actions, it is my honor to present the Del Rio Fire Department Medal of Merit to Engineer Jesse Bishop and Firefighter Miguel Rubio.”
After Harrison finished, the council, city administrators and staff and audience members gave Bishop and Rubio a standing ovation.
Mayor Al Arreola, City Manager John Sheedy and Harrison presented Bishop and Rubio with their commendation letters and medals.
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