Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 7-23-20 E-edition

Thursday, July 23, 2020
Firefighters recognized for helping save Dinuba man Mid Valley Times
The View From Here
I read the text message twice. “Child drowning in the 1200 block of F Street.”
Suddenly , I felt a sense of dread.
These types
of stories are
never easy so I was hoping it was a false alarm. Maybe the child fell in and made it out ok. Those were my initial thoughts.
I was right down the street so I decided to drive by the location to see if this was in fact a drowning or a false alarm like I'd hoped.
I was wrong. The scene was active yet quiet. Not a good sign.
I happened to arrive to the location just as EMS personnel arrived. They grabbed their gurney and rushed inside the home. The front door of the home was wide open. Red and blue flashing lights lined the en- tire neighborhood. Outside, curious onlookers stood nearby wondering what was going on.
A young couple looked over at me and said, “We think it was a child who was bit by a dog.” I responded, no, it's a drowning. Their faces grew concerned.
Moments later, first re- sponders brought the child out and rushed him away on the ambulance. The looks on their faces, also extreme worry.
I walked over to a Reed- ley Police sergeant and asked him if the child would be ok. At this point the re- porter part of me went away. Now I just needed to know if this child was ok.
“We don’t know much right now,” he said. “But so far, it doesn’t look good.”
There was a small part of me holding onto hope. Maybe he’d just fallen in and wasn’t in the water for long. There are plenty of medi- cal advancements that can surely help him right?
I was hoping he'd be ok.
About an hour later, the devastating news that the child did not survive began to make its rounds.
Later we learned the age and name of the child. Alan. He was almost three years old.
As I got home that night I couldn’t stop thinking about little Alan and his family. The excruciating pain they are going through. The fact that a mere moment changed the course of their lives forever.
It was back in 2016 that I covered another child drowning. This one hap-
SEE COLUMN on page A8
Ryan Wilson, a firefighter / paramedic and Dylan Garri- son a firefighter / EMT, and both with the Dinuba Fire Department- will be merited the “Clinical Save” award for helping to save a man's life on May 31. The Clinical Save ribbons will be worn on their uniforms.
Wilson and Garrison, re- sponded to the call for a 71 year old man with chest pain in the city of Dinuba.
The two personnel ef- ficiently treated and trans- ported the patient to Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia.
Upon arrival at the hospital however, the patient went into cardiac arrest.
The patient was trans- ferred to the hospital gurney and staff were able to success- fully resuscitate the patient. "The excellent performance of the City of Dinuba public safety personnel greatly con-
tributed to the patient’s sur- vival," said council members.
On June 17, the patient vis- ited the Dinuba Fire Depart- ment to show his gratitude for the service and treatment Wilson and Garrison provided.
The man stated that with- out the services of the fire- fighters and service, he would not be here today. He thanked the firefighters for a second chance of life, according to Chad Thompson, Dinuba's Fire Chief.
Wilson and Garrison were recognized by the city council for their heroism.
Juanita Adame
Garrison and Wilson will be awarded with the "Clinical Save" ribbon to be worn on their uniforms for their life saving efforts.
Reedley High students earn drone flying certificate Contributed
Photo Contributed
From left, Reedley High students Gabriel Badilla and Emily White succesfully passed the FFA's Un- manned Aircraft Certificate test.
Two Reedley High stu- dents, Gabriel Badilla and Emily White successfully passed the FFA's Unmanned Aircraft Certificate test and are now certified drone pi- lots.
Both students are part of Reedley College ROP and were enrolled in the Flight Science program.
To be eligible for a re- mote pilot certificate, stu- dents must be at least 16 years old, able to read, write, speak, and understand Eng- lish, and be in a physical and mental condition to safely fly a unmanned aircraft.
For more information on the Flight Science Program at Reedley College visit reedleycollege.edu.
Sanger Unified School District outlines plan for students return
Photo of the week
Contributed
Reedley High graduate Robert Alcantar smiled for a photo on top of Campbell Mountain near the popular "R" landmark. Alcantar isagraduate ofthe2020class.Haveaphotoyou'dlikefeatured? Email juanita@midvalleypublishing.com.
Photo Contribted
From left, Dylan Garrison and Ryan Wilson were recognized for helping save a man's life on May 31.
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
The Sanger Unified School District held a special board meeting but remained in lim- bo on the evening of July 20 as announcements by Califor- nia Governor Gavin Newsom days earlier stopped the op- tion to allow students to re- turn to "on campus" learning amid rising COVID-19 cases in Fresno County.
District officials said their return plan, although not voted on, is geared at a rapid “pivot” or change if necessary to conform to state mandates.
“The governor talks about protecting the most vulnera- ble, well our students are also the most vulnerable being af- fected by this in our commu- nity,” said Pete Filippi, SUSD
board president during the live stream.
During the public com- mentary a student who will be a junior at Sanger High School said her life depends on attending classes.
“School for me is a reason to live, without school I am a danger to myself,” said the student. “I did independent studies throughout my 7th and 8th grade years and due to my mental health it made that experience for me ten times worse."
“The virus has a 98 per- cent survival rate," she con- tinued. "Some would rather chance that than to stay inside again. We were told that on- line there would be support, we don’t need support, we
SEE SUSD on page A8