Officer, fire chief hailed for rescue

Safety personnel at the trustee meeting attended to a man who collapsed.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township trustees gave medals of valor and commendation plaques to Fire Chief Randy Pugh and Police Officer Richard Mattessich for saving an elderly man from a burning house.
Trustee Chairman James Stoddard said a fire call was made to the Trumbull County 911 dispatch center Dec. 14, 2003, about a home on Niles-Carver Road in which two men lived.
Although the younger man found his way out of the home, his father did not.
The first truck to arrive was one minute away when Pugh and Mattessich decided to go inside and carry the man out. Once the firetruck arrived, the man was already safely outside of the burning structure.
Stoddard's presentation of the medals and the plaques drew a standing ovation from the crowd.
As Pugh gave his report during the trustees' business meeting, he told the trustees and about 40 residents that the police and fire departments in the township work very closely together in situations like the December fire.
Interrupting his comments, however, a man standing in the back of the room collapsed. Firefighters and police officers immediately went to his attention, while an ambulance call was made.
The man was given oxygen and put on an intravenous drip before the ambulance attendants arrived to take him to a hospital.
Other matters
In regular business, Trustee John Vogel asked for a meeting with Sable Creek development residents and others who live in the township to brainstorm on flooding problems at 6 p.m. April 22 at the township building.
Trustees authorized the clerk to advertise for bids for the 2004 paving program, which township Administrator David Pugh said will target the Heaton-Chute area.
The bid for the annual Spring Clean-Up was awarded to Wolford's Refuse for $14,000. Wolford was the only bidder. Dates for the cleanup have not yet been set.
Administrator Pugh said cleanup at the cemetery will start Monday, and any decorations left over should be picked up.
Trustees named Daniel Lowery a probationary part-time officer for the police department. Lowery is a graduate of Mercyhurst College and attended Youngstown State University.
Stoddard said a volunteer Spring Litter Pick-Up will be held at 8 a.m. May 1. Volunteers should meet at the township administration building.