thedrifter
02-27-07, 06:01 AM
Marines honored for fire rescue
BY NICOLE E. SQUIBBS, SUN STAFF WRITER
February 26, 2007 - 11:17PM
Two Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, who are about to go serve in Iraq, began their heroics early when they rescued a disabled man from a burning apartment Feb. 17.
Cpl. William Koppelman Jr. and Cpl. Brian Johnson will be recognized for their heroism at 2:30 p.m. today at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Building 852, PT field, where they will be awarded Certificates of Commendation for Public Service from the city.
The man they rescued had a mental disability due to a previous head injury and was not able to remove himself from his patio, according to a Yuma Fire Department news release. YFD Battalion Chief Rod Reed stated in the release, "Had these three rescuers not taken quick action, it is very likely that the victim's injuries would have been much more severe, if not immediately fatal."
Dale Crosser, a neighbor of the Marines who helped in the rescue, will receive recognition from the fire department at a later date, YFD spokesman Mike Erfert said.
In 10 days, Koppelman, 22, a switchboard operator who has been in Yuma since November 2005, is deploying to Iraq for the first time.
Koppelman told The Sun he was out on his balcony in the Virginia Manor apartment complex, 2621 Virginia Drive, talking to his neighbor when he saw smoke. His neighbor thought it looked like a barbecue, but Koppelman said the smoke became thicker, so he went to check it out.
When he arrived at Adobe Casitas Apartments, 2681 Virginia Drive, he heard someone say there might be a person in the back of the apartment that was on fire.
Since there was a fence in the way, Koppelman determined the roof would be his quickest way to the back.
"His whole apartment was in a blaze. It was extremely hot," Koppelman said. "The smoke was bad."
Even under those conditions, he climbed onto the 15-foot roof and walked to the back of the apartment, where he saw an unconscious man lying by the back door.
"I yelled for help. He was a big guy. I knew I couldn't get him on my own," Koppelman said. "I jumped down and grabbed the guy."
Koppelman said his two friends, Johnson and Crosser, arrived to help him.
As soon as the three men were able to move the unconscious man, Gilberto Lopez Jr., through the hole in the first fence, a ball of fire exploded through the glass doors of the patio 15 feet away, embedding glass in the fence, according to a MCAS Yuma news release.
Fire investigators noted all furniture on the patio was melted or consumed by fire after the rescuers moved Lopez, according to the YFD release.
"I kicked in four fences while my friends helped drag him. We found an open door and took him through the apartment," Koppelman said.
He said at the time, kicking in the new wooden fences did not seem difficult, but now, he imagines it was.
"I wasn't really thinking. I just reacted. I just wanted to get the guy out," Koppelman said.
"I'm just glad I reacted the way I did and didn't hesitate. At boot camp, they teach you how to jump walls, and the military teaches you to react and not think about it and to make split-second decisions," he said.
The other Marine rescuer, Johnson, 21, a radio operator, has been in Yuma since April 2004. He will be deploying to Iraq for his second tour of duty on Thursday for seven months.
He is Koppelman's roommate and had come home right after Koppelman went to investigate the fire.
"I heard someone outside. They said, 'I already heard someone call 911.' I thought I better figure out what's going on since Will is always looking for trouble," Johnson told The Sun.
"I jumped the gate and heard Will yelling for help," he said.
Johnson and Crosser, 20, a neighbor and friend, then jumped two walls and a fence to reach Koppelman and Lopez.
"The smoke just hit us really bad. It killed you," Johnson said.
He said he grabbed Lopez's arms, and he and Crosser set Lopez down while Koppelman kicked in each fence.
"His (Lopez's) eyes were dilated. He wouldn't respond. I would see if he could follow my finger with his eyes and make sure he was still breathing," Johnson said.
Once they were able to get Lopez through the open apartment, he said they found a fireman, who gave Lopez an I.V.
"Will held the I.V., and I kept talking to him. At this point, he was following my fingers. He was still really out of it. He could only say yes or no," said Johnson.
Lopez was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center and then flown to the Arizona Burn Center at the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix.
Johnson summed up the rescue by saying, "I was really worried about Will. It felt really good to be able to go out and help somebody."
When asked how they felt about receiving their award, Johnson said, "I'm excited about it. I'm glad we were able to show Marines doing good out there."
"I wasn't really expecting anything out of it," Koppelman said. "I didn't think it was a big deal ... I figured I was in the right place at the right time."
----
Nicole Squibbs can be reached at
nsquibbs@yumasun.com or 539-6855.
BY NICOLE E. SQUIBBS, SUN STAFF WRITER
February 26, 2007 - 11:17PM
Two Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, who are about to go serve in Iraq, began their heroics early when they rescued a disabled man from a burning apartment Feb. 17.
Cpl. William Koppelman Jr. and Cpl. Brian Johnson will be recognized for their heroism at 2:30 p.m. today at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Building 852, PT field, where they will be awarded Certificates of Commendation for Public Service from the city.
The man they rescued had a mental disability due to a previous head injury and was not able to remove himself from his patio, according to a Yuma Fire Department news release. YFD Battalion Chief Rod Reed stated in the release, "Had these three rescuers not taken quick action, it is very likely that the victim's injuries would have been much more severe, if not immediately fatal."
Dale Crosser, a neighbor of the Marines who helped in the rescue, will receive recognition from the fire department at a later date, YFD spokesman Mike Erfert said.
In 10 days, Koppelman, 22, a switchboard operator who has been in Yuma since November 2005, is deploying to Iraq for the first time.
Koppelman told The Sun he was out on his balcony in the Virginia Manor apartment complex, 2621 Virginia Drive, talking to his neighbor when he saw smoke. His neighbor thought it looked like a barbecue, but Koppelman said the smoke became thicker, so he went to check it out.
When he arrived at Adobe Casitas Apartments, 2681 Virginia Drive, he heard someone say there might be a person in the back of the apartment that was on fire.
Since there was a fence in the way, Koppelman determined the roof would be his quickest way to the back.
"His whole apartment was in a blaze. It was extremely hot," Koppelman said. "The smoke was bad."
Even under those conditions, he climbed onto the 15-foot roof and walked to the back of the apartment, where he saw an unconscious man lying by the back door.
"I yelled for help. He was a big guy. I knew I couldn't get him on my own," Koppelman said. "I jumped down and grabbed the guy."
Koppelman said his two friends, Johnson and Crosser, arrived to help him.
As soon as the three men were able to move the unconscious man, Gilberto Lopez Jr., through the hole in the first fence, a ball of fire exploded through the glass doors of the patio 15 feet away, embedding glass in the fence, according to a MCAS Yuma news release.
Fire investigators noted all furniture on the patio was melted or consumed by fire after the rescuers moved Lopez, according to the YFD release.
"I kicked in four fences while my friends helped drag him. We found an open door and took him through the apartment," Koppelman said.
He said at the time, kicking in the new wooden fences did not seem difficult, but now, he imagines it was.
"I wasn't really thinking. I just reacted. I just wanted to get the guy out," Koppelman said.
"I'm just glad I reacted the way I did and didn't hesitate. At boot camp, they teach you how to jump walls, and the military teaches you to react and not think about it and to make split-second decisions," he said.
The other Marine rescuer, Johnson, 21, a radio operator, has been in Yuma since April 2004. He will be deploying to Iraq for his second tour of duty on Thursday for seven months.
He is Koppelman's roommate and had come home right after Koppelman went to investigate the fire.
"I heard someone outside. They said, 'I already heard someone call 911.' I thought I better figure out what's going on since Will is always looking for trouble," Johnson told The Sun.
"I jumped the gate and heard Will yelling for help," he said.
Johnson and Crosser, 20, a neighbor and friend, then jumped two walls and a fence to reach Koppelman and Lopez.
"The smoke just hit us really bad. It killed you," Johnson said.
He said he grabbed Lopez's arms, and he and Crosser set Lopez down while Koppelman kicked in each fence.
"His (Lopez's) eyes were dilated. He wouldn't respond. I would see if he could follow my finger with his eyes and make sure he was still breathing," Johnson said.
Once they were able to get Lopez through the open apartment, he said they found a fireman, who gave Lopez an I.V.
"Will held the I.V., and I kept talking to him. At this point, he was following my fingers. He was still really out of it. He could only say yes or no," said Johnson.
Lopez was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center and then flown to the Arizona Burn Center at the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix.
Johnson summed up the rescue by saying, "I was really worried about Will. It felt really good to be able to go out and help somebody."
When asked how they felt about receiving their award, Johnson said, "I'm excited about it. I'm glad we were able to show Marines doing good out there."
"I wasn't really expecting anything out of it," Koppelman said. "I didn't think it was a big deal ... I figured I was in the right place at the right time."
----
Nicole Squibbs can be reached at
nsquibbs@yumasun.com or 539-6855.