(Des Moines, IA) -- The 2024 Governor's Lifesaving Awards and Sullivan Brothers' Award Ceremony was hosted Wednesday at the Iowa State Capitol Building.

Oelwein Police Officer Codi Werzer, rescued a victim out of a burning apartment building, along with two of his colleagues, Officer Gage D. Voshell and Officer William E. Ward without protective equipment.

"It was hard to breathe, it burnt your eyes, but I really didn't think about that," Wurzer said, "there's certain moments I think that God empowers a man or woman, to do something, and I think that night was one of those nights, it wasn't my own courage, it was His, so I give glory to Him."

Wurzer and his fellow officers were granted the Sullivan Brothers Award.

Randy Hartley was at an American Legion meeting in Van Meter, when one of his colleagues arrived, suffering from a medical emergency.

"When she came in an had the unequal pupils, and one was blow, I knew right away that she probably had a hemorrhage of the brain," Hartley said. Hartley, a retired firefighter and paramedic, was able to accurately assess the symptoms for first responders.

"Some of the first responders didn't really recognize that right away, being able to give them that critical information, and move her along right away," Harley said, "that was critical, it's important to them to a hospital to get that infinitive care, time is essential. We were able to communicate that right away to first responders."

Hartley was one of four recipients of the Governor's Lifesaving award. Joseph Salmon, the teen who rescued an 83-year-old man and his dog out of an SUV, partially submerged in icy Lake Okoboji during the winter of early 2023, was also honored.

"It just happened...I went," Salmon said, whose response was rapid, "it happened quick."

The Governor's Lifesaving Awards honored four civilians:

Randy Hartley, Adel – Outstanding Service Award
Tyler Borneman, Waterloo – Lifesaving Award
Evan Scheck, Spirit Lake – Lifesaving with Valor Award
Joseph Salmon, Spencer – Lifesaving with Valor Award

According to a press statement from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Sullivan Brothers' Awards of Valor honors the memory of George, Frank, Joe, Matt, and Albert Sullivan – all in their 20s – who served together on the USS Juneau in the Guadalcanal naval battle in the fall of 1942. All five brothers died together in a tragic attack when two Japanese torpedoes struck their ship.

Kelly Sullivan, the granddaughter of Albert Sullivan, was also present at this year's ceremony.

A total of three first responders, all with the Oelwein Police Department, were honored at today’s ceremony:

Officer Gage D. Voshell
Officer William E. Ward
Officer Codi R. Wurzer

Simon Conway