GILROY
– It was a time for recognizing the heroic deeds and everyday
achievements of the South Valley’s police officers and
firefighters.
GILROY – It was a time for recognizing the heroic deeds and everyday achievements of the South Valley’s police officers and firefighters.
At its annual Blue & Gold Awards luncheon at Portuguese Hall, the Exchange Club of Gilroy conferred awards on nine officers from seven public safety agencies that serve Gilroy and Morgan Hill.
The club also gave a special surprise award to Phil Robb, who has directed Gilroy High School choirs for 26 years.
Many of the police officers and firefighters were recognized because they had risked their lives to save others. Such was the case when Gilroy Police Chief Gregg Giusiana introduced his department’s nominee, Capt. Scot Smithee.
On vacation with his wife in Hawaii in March, Smithee’s catamaran overturned in the ocean, trapping seven of the 10 people underneath in the cabin with only a small air pocket. Smithee made a rescue rope, swam under the boat and helped all seven escape alive.
Smithee has been with the Gilroy Police Department for nearly 20 years and is a state-recognized expert instructor in pursuit driving.
Two such stories were told about honoree and firefighter Keith Wigley, of the Santa Clara County Fire Department.
Last summer, a man jumped into Lake Anderson from a bridge and failed to surface. Fire officials decided on a high-risk response: to send in a diver in to see if the man’s life could be saved. Wigley volunteered and searched the frigid water for 30 minutes, to no avail.
In another incident, a 13-year-old girl fell into a hotel pool filter in Morgan Hill. County firefighters were considering using a jackhammer to blast out the concrete and rebar surrounding the girl, but Wigley was able to manipulate her legs in a way that allowed her to inch her way free.
“It is such a privilege to have a job that puts me in the right place at the right time with the right training and the right equipment to make a difference,” Wigley said.
Morgan Hill interim Police Chief Bruce Cumming recounted how Morgan Hill officers Gary Smith and Erin McNish acted like firefighters in September, when they kicked open the door of a burning house, went in and pulled out an unconscious woman.
Smith and McNish were responding to a domestic violence report at the time. If they had waited for firefighters, the woman might have died. Both said they acted on instinct.
The Gilroy Fire Department nominated firefighter/paramedic Chris Weber and paid-call firefighter Doug Langwell. Weber coordinates the GFD’s Christmas toy program and is a trainer on handling hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction. Langwell is a committed part-time firefighter, has finished a year-long training to become a paramedic and holds down a full-time job at a firefighter training academy.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office nominee was Sgt. Joe Waldherr, of the sheriff’s San Martin substation. Waldherr has a record of in-house leadership and community outreach and is a trained volunteer on the county’s bomb squad, Lt. Dale Unger said.
The California Department of Forestry chose fire engineer Anthony Anastasi, a 13-year CDF veteran and the lead trainer for that department’s paid-call firefighters.
The California Highway Patrol was scheduled to honor officer Terry Mayes, a spokeswoman for the Hollister/Gilroy CHP detachment, but no CHP officers attended. Mayes is visiting family in Kentucky, according to CHP officer Brad Voyles.
When Robb was named for the club’s Book of Golden Deeds Award, he and the GHS Chamber Choir had just provided musical entertainment for the assembled guests. The teacher had quietly slipped into the background, but his eyes popped open wide in surprise.
Exchange President Christy Bracco said the award was “in recognition of (Robb’s) time, heart and dedication to the youth of our community.” State Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, echoed the honor with a separate certificate delivered for the occasion.
Under Robb’s direction, the GHS choir has won state accolades over the years and recently returned from a tour of Germany and the Czech Republic. He also directs choirs at Gavilan College and Advent Lutheran Church in Morgan Hill.
He gave most of the credit to the student singers.
“The privilege I have to stand up here and listen to them makes it the easiest job in history,” Robb said. “I’m incredibly humbled to be honored among all these heroes.”
Peter Crowley covers public safety for The Dispatch. You can reach him at
pc******@gi************.com
or (408) 842-6400, ext. 285.
