SIDNEY – First responders have a calling that sometimes puts them in life-saving situations.  

Sometimes those situations are so above and beyond  expectation  they're response deserves recognition. 

Potter Fire Chief Mark Onstott attended the Sidney City Council meeting Tuesday to recognize Sidney Fire Chief Matt Butts. 

“This award is called the ‘Save Award’ and it’s the highest award that can be given to an individual for their act to save another individual,” said Onstott. 

The award is based on a medical call in November. 

“On the evening of November 21st, Sidney EMS was paged out to an individual choking on food. The fire department was not initially paged out to assist the incident. However, Chief Butts knew the potential severity of the incident and responded. While Sidney EMS was enroute, they asked for mutual aid from Sidney Fire Department,” Onstott said. 

Onstott said the quick thinking of Chief Butts and willingness to respond as a volunteer prior to firefighters being requested saved a person’s life. He said Butts’ actions saved that person from potentially going into cardiac arrest.  

“I’m honored to receive this recognition, and I appreciate Mark Onstott for the that he did to get it out there and known. But this, this award reflects the many people that are involved with it, from the dispatchers to EMS, law enforcement, and the firefighters within the department, surrounding areas,” Butts said.