River Grove Fire Lt. Alfredo Rios said he doesn’t consider himself brave. When he has to face danger, he said he thinks of it as simply doing his job.
Rios and River Grove Police Sgt. Colin Reid, along with the village’s police and fire departments, received the President’s Village Service Award on Oct. 19. Mayor David Guerin presented the award during a River Grove board meeting.
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On Aug. 5, two people were reportedly in distress in the Des Plaines River, near the end of the River Grove Lions Club’s Steak ‘n’ Lobster Fest. River Grove Deputy Fire Chief Sean Flynn said Reid and Rios, along with others with the police and fire departments, helped save them.
“The police and firefighters showed up together, and Colin and Al jumped right in to see what was going on and how we were going to save them,” Flynn said.
According to the report, a man was “found at the river bank hanging on a cement wall approximately 10 feet down” and a woman was “attempting to pull him up from the river’s embankment.”
“We were able to bring them up to safety,” Flynn said.
Flynn added that “the water was high at that point, and the current was strong. It was a better outcome because [the police and fire] were there.”
Rios said he doesn’t think saving the man and woman should be considered heroic.
“Most of us have been around a while,” he said. “We just think of it as doing our job.”
At the board meeting, the men received the honor, which is a new award that Guerin hopes to give those who go above and beyond in the community. Guerin said a lot of people do good things for the town but do not get recognized.
“The police and fire risked their own lives to save others, and it’s a great thing,” Guerin said. “They did it without thinking.”
Rios said he has worked the same shift for 15 years, and he paid tribute to those who work with him on his shift.
“We started working for River Grove when we were 18 or 19,” he said. “This is where we started, and this is our town.”
River Grove Fire Chief Larry LaRiviere said he’s proud of their efforts and is glad that Guerin is recognizing them.
“This award isn’t just for first responders,” LaRiviere said. “It’s for anyone that shows service above and beyond their duties.”
Maryann Pisano is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.