Jackson Township police and firefighter/paramedics honored for SARTA bus crash response

Jonetta Ross was behind the wheel of a Stark Area Regional Transit Authority Proline bus in Jackson Township on the morning of Sept. 25 when an SUV heading in the opposite direction crossed the center line of Frank Avenue and hit the bus head-on.

The Canton woman was trapped, bleeding and suffering from life-threatening injuries.

Jackson Township police officer Kyle Trsinar was first to arrive. He applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, which bought time for firefighters to perform a complicated extrication.

Frank Avenue crash: Two drivers go to hospital after SARTA Proline bus collides with SUV Monday

Paramedic Dawn Shaffer saw the trauma and stayed by the bus driver's side during the rescue to help her deal with the mental trauma, according to a press release from the Jackson Township Fire Department.

Ross was was taken to Aultman Hospital in Canton.

After surgery, the 48-year-old's first request was to meet her "guardian angel," Shaffer, the paramedic who showed her care and compassion.

The teamwork of Jackson Township's first responders was recognized on Wednesday, when they received the 2024 Star of Life Award from the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Division of EMS in Columbus. The award recognizes individuals and agencies for remarkable life-saving efforts and exceptional patient care performed during a call.

“If you’ve ever taken a first aid/CPR class, you heard about the ‘Chain of Survival,’" Jackson Fire Chief Tim Berczik said in a prepared statement. "From the initial 911 call to the responding police and fire units, to the transfer of medical care in the emergency room, trauma care, subsequent intensive care and hours of rehabilitation are all links connecting the ‘Chain of Survival.’"

He said Jackson firefighter/paramedics continually train on all hazards.

"Their professionalism during actions performed every day on every shift often go unnoticed," Berczik said. "On this particular day, we couldn’t be more proud of the actions performed by all police and fire personnel involved with this incident.

"Being recognized at the 2024 State EMS Star of Life Award Recipient is an honor, something few get to experience in a career. More importantly, we are making a difference and saving lives within our community."

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio 2024 Star of Life Award given to police, firefighter/paramedics