Associate Engineering Geologist

Department of Water Resources

2/8/1998

Special Act Award (Gold)

Water Resources Technician Richard " Burnett, Associate Engineering Geologist William Shanks, Associate Engineer Ernest Taylor, and Senior Engineer Kurt C. Kovac, performed an extraordinary act of heroism at great personal risk to their own safety in the rescue of Ms. Rachelle Anderson’s two small children, Oscar and Alicia, who were trapped in an overturned car that was sinking 15 feet offshore in the storm-swollen, frigid, swift, and muddy Sacramento River. On the morning of February 8, 1998, at approximately 7:55 a.m., while on special flood duty for the Department of Water Resources in the Delta, near Antioch, Mr. Burnett, Mr. Shanks, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kovac were flagged down by a truck driver. Looking down the perilous levee embankment, they saw a car sinking into the river, its rear half still visible above the surface of the water. Mr. Burnett immediately ran down the embankment, jumped into the water and swam towards the car. As soon as he reached it, he saw Oscar, the baby, still strapped in the child car sea, sinking into the water. Mr. Burnett grabbed the car seat just as Oscar’s head was slipping below the surface. He freed Oscar and then handed him to Mr.Taylor. Mr. Kovac met Mr. Taylor on the muddy slope of the steep embankment and took Oscar up to the road. Still trapped inside the car, three-year old Alicia was still submerged and under peril with each passing second. Mr. Shanks first and then Mr. Burnett, dove under the murky, cold water into the car through the open door on the driver’s side, each attempting to rescue Alicia. It was very difficult to see and the rescuers became disoriented inside the overturned car. They each tried to free Alicia from her fastened seat belt without success. Time running out; the only way to rescue Alicia was to turn the car upright. The men joined forces, trying to reposition the car upright. Incredibly, the 3,000 pound car turned easily. Mr. Burnett dove under the water, reached in the passenger-side door and released the unconscious child from her seat belt. Mr. Burnett and Mr. Taylor rushed to get her ashore. By this time Alicia was unconscious, extremely cold, ashen, and not breathing; her body was completely limp. Mr. Burnett and another individual took turns giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Alicia finally gasped for air, coughed her throat clear of water, and started breathing. Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kovac wrapped Alicia in jackets and sweatshirts, and Mr. Shanks held her in the warm truck until paramedics arrived. Meanwhile, Mr. Kovac brought Ms. Anderson up the embankment to be close to her children. The State of California takes great pride in presenting these medals of valor for acts of heroism extending far and above the normal call of duty.