Three Oelwein Policemen Honored for Saving Man

Three policemen have been honored for saving a man from a burning apartment in downtown Oelwein in February.

Governor Kim Reynolds presented the Sullivan Brothers’ Awards of Valor on Wednesday to Oelwein officers Gage Voshell, William Ward and Codi Wurzer. 

Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephen Bayens says the officers were first to arrive at the scene of an apartment building fire, went door to door to evacuate residents and rescued a man after they heard his feeble call for help. All three were treated for smoke inhalation. 

Their Awards of Valor are named for the five Sullivan brothers of Waterloo who were killed in action during World War II when the U.S.S. Juneau was sunk by Japanese torpedoes. 

Kelly Sullivan, the granddaughter of one of the siblings, attended Wednesday’s ceremony at the Capital and handed each officer their honorary medal.

Award Narrative

“In the late evening hours of February 17, 2024, a fire erupted on the fourth floor of the historic Mealey Hotel Apartments in downtown Oelwein.  Immediately after being notified of the fire, first responders from around the area rushed to the scene with Oelwein Police Officers Codi Wurzer, Will Ward, and Gage Voshell being the first to arrive.

Once there, the officers quickly assessed the situation and detected smoke emanating from the fourth floor. The officers immediately began a systematic, door-to-door evacuation of the residents.  As they progressed to the fourth-floor hallway, heavy smoke stung their eyes, obstructed their view, and labored their breathing.  Despite the conditions and without protective equipment, the officers pressed forward and eventually encountered a particularly smoke-filled apartment.  From the doorway, the officers called out to any occupants inside and over the din heard the faintest of responses.

Officer Wurzer immediately dropped to the floor and crawled inside the apartment. Despite being blinded by smoke, Officer Wurzer located a distressed and disoriented man inside. While crouched on the floor, Officer Wurzer pulled the man off a nearby couch and then called to his fellow officers for help.  Officers Ward and Voshell quickly pushed through the throat-choking haze and together they drug the man from the apartment, down the hallway, and into a nearby stairwell.

Meanwhile, firefighters from throughout the area quickly descended on the scene and were able to confine the fire to that single, fourth-floor apartment.  The apartment’s occupant was quickly whisked away via ambulance and treated at a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, the three officers were treated for smoke inhalation. 

These three officers showed exceptional courage and judgment, knowing that immediate action was necessary.  They disregarded their own safety by plunging inside a smoke-billowing apartment without the benefit of safety equipment and saved a life. 

In recognition of their bravery and commitment to duty, Officers Codi Wurzer, Will Ward, and Gage Voshell have been selected to receive the Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor. Their heroic actions exemplify the very essence of this award and showcased a level of dedication and selflessness that went well beyond the normal demands of their duties.”

story courtesy of Radio Iowa; photo courtesy of Iowa Department of Public Safety