Helped with two evacuations
SPOKANE – During an Aug. 20 press conference at Spokane Falls Community College, Washington Governor Jay Inslee gave a Medical Lake resident the Washingtonian of the Day Award.
Joe David, who works at Lakeland Village and lives in Medical Lake lost his home in the Gray Fire.
He was recognized by Inslee for his efforts in evacuating dozens of wheelchair bound people from Lakeland Village, and then made the decision to evacuate a second time.
“A fella there recognized that even though they had been evacuated already that the fire was coming towards them where they had evacuated to,” Inslee said. “He made a snap judgement, a really good judgement to do another secondary evacuation and organized a rescue of dozens of people.”
“Many of whom they pushed across the field in wheelchairs to get them to another location, so they weren’t consumed by the fire,” Inslee said.
Inslee said these efforts were incredible as the fires surrounded the Lakeland facility.
Inslee also recognized David for having lost his home and still going to work at the facility.
David was able to park his RV for a temporary place to stay.
Matthew graduated from West Virginia University-Parkersburg in 2011 with a journalism degree. He's an award-winning photographer and enjoys writing stories about people.
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