Three Men Receive McHenry County Citizen Lifesaving Awards

Three area men were presented with McHenry County Citizen Lifesaving Awards on Friday for heroism demonstrated in two separate vehicle crashes.

Daniel C. Narciso and James M. Halterman were recognized for their lifesaving efforts on July 25 in Marengo.

When David J. Kieffer was rear-ended by a semi on Route 20 near Coral Road, his Chevrolet pickup truck caught fire. Narciso and Halterman stopped to give aid. Halterman cut Kieffer’s seat belt and both men pulled him out of the burning truck. Without their assistance, officials believe Kieffer would not be alive today.

Halterman was presented with the knife that he used to cut the seat belt, after it was found by the Marengo fire district after they put out the fire. Kieffer contacted Gerber, the manufacturer of the knife, and the company placed the knife Halterman used into a shadow box. He also received a new knife from Gerber.

John C. Kurtz was recognized for his lifesaving actions from a traffic crash that occurred on June 20, 2011, at Queen Anne Road and Williams Court.

A teenager’s car had struck a tree and caught fire. Kurtz searched for a fire extinguisher but couldn’t find one. He ran to the burning car without hesitation and helped the driver out. He gave the driver water and assisted him until the rescue personnel arrived. Without Kurtz’s assistance, it is believed the driver would not be alive today.