by Timothy Rutt
On Wednesday, Sheriff Lee Baca recognized 17 sheriff's department employees "whose heroic actions saved the lives of others" at the annual Lifesaving Awards Ceremony in Monterey Park.
Among those honored was Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station Dispatcher Richard Engersbach, pictured, who also works out of Altadena Station. He celebrated his award by possibly saving more lives this week.
Engersbach was being honored for saving lives in Altadena last year. According to a sheriff's department release,
On August 17, 2010, at about 0940 hours, Cresenta Valley Sheriff's Station Dispatcher Richard Engersbach and Evidence and Property Custodian Marc Harvey were leaving the Altadena Station when they observed smoke billowing from 3097 N. Lake Avenue. Both Engersbach and Harvey rushed toward the source of the smoke and saw the house was fully engulfed in flames. Engersbach and Harvey went to a rear door announced their presence.
Both Engersbach and Harvey woke up the victims and evacuated them from the burning house. Both of the victims were examined and treated by LA Co Fire Department personnel for smoke inhalation.
But just this Monday, Oct. 17 -- two days before receiving the award -- Engersbach was working out of the Crescenta Valley Station when he received a call from a 40-year-old mother who was driving with a stuck accelerator and unable to stop. Over the phone, Engersbach guided her into shutting off the engine, causing the car to roll to a stop before the woman's vehicle (with her five-year-old daughter in the back seat) struck any cars.
