Henry Guerrero
Officer
California Highway Patrol
7/3/2002
Special Act Award (Gold)
California Highway Patrol Officer Henry Guerrero, on July 3, 2002, performed an act of heroism at risk to his personal safety by rescuing an elderly victim clinging to the top of her overturned vehicle in the strong current of an irrigation canal.
At approximately 10:47 p.m., near the unincorporated community of Thermal,
9-1-1 callers reported a vehicle had been driven into the All-American Canal. Officer Guerrero, along with other CHP officers and allied agency personnel responded to the scene. The driver, Ms. Elizabeth Cellucci, an 83-year old woman, managed to get out of her vehicle and was clinging to the top side of the automobile with only her head above the water. The vehicle, being swept by the strong current, eventually came to a stop directly underneath the Airport Boulevard Bridge. Officer Guerrero noticed fire department personnel who had set up a lifeline on the downstream side of the bridge. Unfortunately, Ms. Celluci was physically incapable of reaching the line from her location. Moreover, it was clear she could not swim in the strong canal current. As minutes passed waiting for the Water Rescue Team, it became apparent to the officers that Ms. Cellucci was not going to be able to continue holding on to her vehicle and would soon be swept away in the current. An overhead rescue by aircraft was impossible due to the vehicle's location directly under the bridge, thus, Officer Guerrero made the decision to rescue
Ms. Cellucci himself. He tied himself to a rope and CHP officers lowered him over the downstream side of the bridge. The CHP patrol car's push bumper support was the main anchor for the rope. Once at water level, Officer Guerrero was able to swing back and forth on the roper underneath the bridge toward Ms. Cellucci. On the fourth swing, Officer Guerrero was able to grasp Ms. Cellucci and pull her from the vehicle. He then used the fire department lifeline to navigate back to the canal bank. As they reached the canal bank, allied agency personnel pulled both Officer Guerrero and Ms. Cellucci up the embankment. Ms. Cellucci was transported to a local hospital by paramedics suffering from hypothermia. She was treated and later released.
9-1-1 callers reported a vehicle had been driven into the All-American Canal. Officer Guerrero, along with other CHP officers and allied agency personnel responded to the scene. The driver, Ms. Elizabeth Cellucci, an 83-year old woman, managed to get out of her vehicle and was clinging to the top side of the automobile with only her head above the water. The vehicle, being swept by the strong current, eventually came to a stop directly underneath the Airport Boulevard Bridge. Officer Guerrero noticed fire department personnel who had set up a lifeline on the downstream side of the bridge. Unfortunately, Ms. Celluci was physically incapable of reaching the line from her location. Moreover, it was clear she could not swim in the strong canal current. As minutes passed waiting for the Water Rescue Team, it became apparent to the officers that Ms. Cellucci was not going to be able to continue holding on to her vehicle and would soon be swept away in the current. An overhead rescue by aircraft was impossible due to the vehicle's location directly under the bridge, thus, Officer Guerrero made the decision to rescue
Ms. Cellucci himself. He tied himself to a rope and CHP officers lowered him over the downstream side of the bridge. The CHP patrol car's push bumper support was the main anchor for the rope. Once at water level, Officer Guerrero was able to swing back and forth on the roper underneath the bridge toward Ms. Cellucci. On the fourth swing, Officer Guerrero was able to grasp Ms. Cellucci and pull her from the vehicle. He then used the fire department lifeline to navigate back to the canal bank. As they reached the canal bank, allied agency personnel pulled both Officer Guerrero and Ms. Cellucci up the embankment. Ms. Cellucci was transported to a local hospital by paramedics suffering from hypothermia. She was treated and later released.