Benjamin Anderson
Maintenance Worker
Department of Transportation
3/1/2018
Special Service Award (Silver)
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On March 1, 2018, around 5:00 p.m., California Department of Transportation Highway Maintenance Worker Benjamin (Ben) Anderson and Maintenance Supervisor, Lonnie Swartout were plowing snow when Mr. Swartout noticed tire tracks that shot through a snow berm and down a steep embankment. When Mr. Anderson went toward the tracks, he heard a woman screaming for help. Unable to see her or the vehicle due to the dark and snowy conditions, he grabbed his handheld radio and flashlight and went down the steep embankment. Following the screaming voice, he located the woman and a tipped sport utility vehicle, which had slipped about 100 feet off the roadway. She was positioned on the downhill side in front of the vehicle and was unable to move herself due to injuries from the wreck. To prevent the vehicle from potentially crushing her, Mr. Anderson dragged her 30 feet away to a safer location. She advised Mr. Anderson that her husband was stuck inside of the vehicle and unable to move due to injuries. Immediately, Mr. Anderson radioed to California Department of Transportation Highway Maintenance Leadworker Thomas Britt, Mr. Swartout and dispatch on the conditions of the incident and requested the tools necessary for extrication of the couple. Mr. Anderson gave her his snow jacket, then headed to the vehicle to assist her husband who was unable to move and could barely breathe due to a cage of puppies being pinned underneath his abdomen. Mr. Anderson ran back uphill to grab tools from his truck. He used bolt cutters to cut out the cage, making a hole wide enough to save the puppies and allowing the husband to expand his stomach to breathe better. Additional rescue personnel arrived on scene who then secured the wife to a backboard and hauled her to the ambulance.
Mr. Anderson then used an ax and handsaw to cut out the front windshield allowing the rescue personnel inside of the vehicle to provide aid to the husband. He made over ten trips up and down the embankment, grabbing tools, water, and clothing to assist in the extrication and medical care of the couple. After six hours on scene, and with the help of additional rescue personnel, there was enough manpower to successfully cut out the husband, set up a low-angle rope rescue haul line, and safely pull him 100 feet back to the highway. With no regard to his own safety, Mr. Anderson went above and beyond the call of duty. The State of California takes great pride in presenting this Silver Medal of Valor to California Department of Transportation Highway Maintenance Worker Benjamin Anderson.
Mr. Anderson then used an ax and handsaw to cut out the front windshield allowing the rescue personnel inside of the vehicle to provide aid to the husband. He made over ten trips up and down the embankment, grabbing tools, water, and clothing to assist in the extrication and medical care of the couple. After six hours on scene, and with the help of additional rescue personnel, there was enough manpower to successfully cut out the husband, set up a low-angle rope rescue haul line, and safely pull him 100 feet back to the highway. With no regard to his own safety, Mr. Anderson went above and beyond the call of duty. The State of California takes great pride in presenting this Silver Medal of Valor to California Department of Transportation Highway Maintenance Worker Benjamin Anderson.