Donald Gainer is alive today thanks to a team effort and quick thinking of local first responders.

It was the group of 10 first responders that received special recognition at the Warwick Township Board of Supervisors meeting on September 21, 2005 for their actions to save the life of the Lititz man back in July. The group received the Warwick Township Distinguished Unit Citation which is given to a group of members or civilians who work as a unit to perform an outstanding achievement that brought great credit to the community.

Warwick Township Police Officers Curtis Ochs and William Fasnacht also received the Warwick Township Exceptional Duty Medal given for action bringing high acclaim to themselves as a result of training, devotion to duty or service to the public.

Warwick Township Police Chief Richard Garipoli took the award recommendations to the Civilian’s Committee of Warwick Township, which is responsible for coming up for awards in special cases.

"A group of people came together, and as a result of their actions as a unit, the victim is here this evening," Garipoli said. "It’s time people know that there are people out there doing great work."

The emergency occurred in the afternoon of July 30 when Gainer and his son-in-law, Thomas Yecker, were doing yard work. Gainer slumped over the seat of his car from an apparent heart attack, and Yecker quickly determined the situation to be serious and called 911. He is a volunteer with the Rothsville Fire Company.

Jennifer Sweigart of the Lancaster County-Wide Communications Center stayed on the line keeping Yecker calm as Officer Ochs arrived on the scene and administered the AED. Gainer had no pulse and was not breathing.

Officer Fasnacht was next on the scene and performed CPR on Gainer. Warwick Township Police Sergeant Richard Groff continued communication with Sweigart and Dispatcher Lorraine Kreider.

The medical team, consisting of Paramedic Harold Conner of the Warwick Ambulance, Rothsville EMT’s Tom Freeman and Florence Morgan and Rothsville First Responder Lorraine Nolt, transported Gainer to Ephrata Community Hospital and later to Lancaster General Hospital where he suffered a heart blockage that required a stint and a pacemaker.

Gainer, who said he has no recollection of the week before or the week after the heart attack, said he credits the people on the scene for saving his life.

Gainer’s wife, Janeane, said she will be eternally grateful for the people who helped Donald in his time of need.

"My husband would not be here today without the public servants standing alongside him," Janeane said.

Warwick Township Chairman W. Logan Myers said the supervisors are always eager to honor people in the community who help to make a difference.

"It’s just the love for your fellow man, I think, that you do something like this and how you respond," Myers said. "You’re a vital part of what makes this region a special region, and why people are attracted to it."

Award: The Warwick Township Unit Citation
Awarded to a group of members or civilians for participation of the members as an operating unit, team or group in a cited action. Provided for the intelligent performance of duty and outstanding achievement that clearly set the unit above and apart from other similar units, and that brought great credit to the police department, and to the community.

Thomas Yecker, Son-in- Law - Firefighter
Jennifer L. Sweigart - Call Taker
Lorraine D. Kreider - Dispatcher
Curtis Ochs - Police Officer
William Fasnacht - Police Officer
Richard Groff - Police Sergeant
Harold Conner - Paramedic / Warwick Ambulance
Tom Freeman - EMT / Rothsville
Lorraine Nolt - 1st Responder / Rothsville
Florence Morgan - EMT / Rothsville

Award: The Warwick Township Exceptional Duty Medal
Awarded to any police officer or civilian who in the intelligent performance of duty, or assistance of duty. The recipient must have brought credit to the Department for a high accomplishment to duty or service to the public. Awarded for an officer bringing acclaim to themselves, their department or the police profession, as a result of training, devotion to duty, or service to the public.

Officer William Fasnacht
Officer Curtis Ochs

The Award from the Lancaster Heart Foundation
Awarded in recognition for the life saving performance in using the Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Officer Curtis Ochs