Sheriff’s deputy honored for two life-saving efforts

By Bob Balgemann

REPORTER

Two Boone County Sheriff’s deputies were recognized during the Aug. 17 county board meeting for having saved a life.

Only one of them, Deputy Tim Oberholster, was able to be there. Deputy Christopher Burbach, who’s in the Illinois National Guard, was away for training at the time.

Three months later, at the board’s Wednesday, Nov. 16 meeting, Deputy Burbach was honored in person. During the period of time that elapsed, he managed to save another person.

So, Sheriff Dave Ernest, and all 12 board members who were in attendance, commended him for his efforts.

For his heroic acts, he received two Life Saving Service Awards.

On Wednesday, Aug. 17, the two deputies were sent on a call to Spring Brook Drive, where they found a woman who was unresponsive. They administered two doses of Narcan, at which time she woke up and started breathing normally. She was taken to Rockford Memorial Hospital and is reported to have recovered.

On Monday, Oct. 31, Halloween night, the sheriff reported that Deputy Burbach responded to the report of a medicinal overdose on Ambrose Drive on Poplar Grove.

After finding an unresponsive female, he administrative one dose of Narcan, and she temporarily opened her eyes, before falling into unconsciousness. The deputy administered an additional dose of the agent, during which she became fully responsive and started breathing normally.

Ernest reported she was taken to Belvidere Swedish-American Hospital and since has fully recovered.

Narcan was distributed to Boone deputies earlier this year. It also is carried by Loves Park, Machesney Park, and Rockford police since 2015. In those departments, numerous saves have been reported.

Sheriff Ernest called Deputy Burbach one of the “bright stars” in the sheriff’s department and commended him for his professionalism and quick actions that resulted in the saving of two lives.

He added that Burbach, a deputy for about three years, “does a fabulous job. He is an example of what we look for in a deputy.”