Winona Lake, Ind., Officer David Swain, who attends Grace Church, Leesburg, Ind. (Tim Sprankle, pastor), was among those recognized on Tuesday by the Indiana State Police. He, along with Winona Lake Sgt. Joe Bumbaugh, was presented with the Lifesaving Award for their role in a 2019 ice rescue. A portion of a report from the Warsaw, Ind., Times-Union appears below. Click here to read the complete article.
ISP Recognizes 2 Winona Lake Officers
Indiana State Police Sgt. Chad James presented Winona Lake Police Department Sgt. Joe Bumbaugh (L) and WLPD Officer Dave Swain (R) with the Lifesaving Award for their role in saving a child who fell through thin ice in November 2019.
The Indiana State Police Tuesday recognized two Winona Lake police officers with the Lifesaving Award for their role in a 2019 ice rescue.
On Nov. 15, 2019, around 5:50 p.m., an 11-year-old boy fell through thin ice on a retention pond in the area of CR 325E and Wooster Road.
The child was about 25 yards out in the water and had fallen through. Off-duty ISP trooper Jacob Bill went to the scene to help assist WLPD officer Dave Swain and Sgt. Joe Bumbaugh.
Bill ran into the water and swam out to the child. Bill was able to grab the child by the collar and attempted to get him to shore, but as he got closer, he got caught up in the broken ice.
That’s when Swain entered the water to help Bill and the child, while Bumbaugh helped anchor Swain from the shore and helped get all three out of the freezing water.
The boy was taken to Bumbaugh’s truck to warm up and was then taken to a local hospital and later released.
At the Winona Lake Town Council meeting Tuesday, ISP Sgt. Chad James said he was presenting the Lifesaving Award on behalf of ISP Superintendent Doug Carter.
“Superintendent Doug Carter felt their achievements were worthy of recognition,” James said. “Officer Swain and Sgt. Bumbaugh are to be commended for their extraordinary conduct for saving the life of another human being.”
All three men were recognized by Winona Lake Town Marshal Joe Hawn in December 2019 for their lifesaving rescue with a Lifesaving Award they can pin on their uniform.
Click here to read the complete article.
