VERO BEACH — A standing room only crowd at the Vero Beach City Hall rose to its feet Tuesday when lifeguard Erik Toomsoo was called to the front of the chambers the given the highest award bestowed in the field of aquatic lifesaving.
Rep. Debbie Mayfield then placed the U.S. Lifesaving Association’s Medal of Valor around the Toomsoo’s neck as he stood amongst a dozen other first responders who were also recognized for their work in saving the life of German tourist Karin Stei who was bitten by a shark while swimming in front of the Driftwood Resort last May.
When Stei was rescued by Toomsoo and Dave Daniels, a Michigan tourist who raced into the waters along with Toomsoo, it was apparent her injuries from what is believed to be a bull shark were massive: Much of Stei’s inner leg was missing from her groin down to her knee cap.
It was because of this quick action a year ago that Stei is alive and is able to walk again.
The group gave Daniels a Letter of Commendation for his actions.
“We have this person who will be singing the praises of Vero Beach the rest of her life – and hopefully that will be a long life,” said Joe McManus, president of the U.S. Lifesaving Association southeast region.
Toomsoo is now the fifth lifeguard from Florida to receive the group’s highest honor since the group in 1988 began recognizing lifeguards for risking their own lives to such an extraordinary degree when they saved or attempted to save others in distress. Prior to this year, there have been 41 others to receive the award.
During the presentation, McManus read a statement from Stei that spoke of the fear she suffered when she realized she had been attacked by the shark and how that fear subsided when she was pulled ashore and the masses – those also recognized Tuesday — moved in and cared for her.
Those receiving Meritorious Act awards Tuesday were: Lt. David Dangerfield, Indian River County Firefighter/EMT; Dustin Hawkins, Indian River County Firefighter/EMT; Sean Gibbons, Indian River County Firefighter/Paramedic; Michael Sansone, Indian River County Firefighter/Paramedic; Christopher Matherly, Indian River County Firefighter/ Paramedic; Shanna Beard, City of Vero Beach Lifeguard/EMT; Jordan Farrow, City of Vero Beach Lifeguard/EMT; Tim Capra, City of Vero Beach Lifeguard/EMR (emergency medical responder); Officer Craig Urbanczyk, Vero Beach Police Department; Michael Knapp, Martin County Firefighter/Flight Paramedic; Bruce White, Martin County Firefighter/Flight Paramedic and Seth Zaluski, Martin County LifeStar Pilot.
The awards come as the City of Vero Beach is considering cutting lifeguards and other services provided to at city parks in an effort to live within its means now that the city’s power system is being sold and eventually will no longer provide some $5 million in profits to the city’s general fund.
“I really believe a safe beach is good business,” McManus said when asked to weigh in on the potential cuts.
McManus said he did not bring up the matter Tuesday because he did not want to take away from the important event when Toomsoo and others were given their awards. He said he intends to speak more on matter when the city’s recreation commission meets to discuss cuts. City Manager Jim O’Connor has asked all department heads to come up with a plan that would reduce expenses between a low of 11 percent to a high of close to 15 percent.