RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Shortly after midnight on December 13, 2013, Chicago Police Officers Wayne Kramer and Fred Estrada of the 18th District were dispatched to assist a man who was frantically calling for help on the Lower Level of Lake Shore Drive at East Illinois Street; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Upon arrival at the scene, the officers spotted a bystander near the water's edge who related that someone had fallen into the Chicago River; and
WHEREAS, While his partner radioed for an ambulance, Officer Kramer, a former Chicago Park District lifeguard, ran from the squad car, climbed a locked fence, and skidded down a snow-covered ramp to the water's edge; and
WHEREAS, Upon reaching the scene, Officer Kramer found a man submerged in the water up to his hairline, with one hand desperately clutching at the dock and only occasionally able to surface to breathe and cry for help; and
WHEREAS, Officer Kramer scrambled atop a slippery four-foot-wide dock and while reaching down to grab the victim, found that he too confronted the danger of falling into the water; and
WHEREAS, The rescue was also complicated by the fact that hypothermia had already set in and the man had lost the use of his limbs and become limp; and
WHEREAS, Despite all of the conditions, and with the help of Officer Estrada and the bystander, Officer Kramer eventually was able to drag the man to safety; and
WHEREAS, The victim was wheeled to street level and transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he made a full recovery; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this fifteenth day of January, 2014, do hereby recognize and congratulate Police Officers Wayne Kramer and Fred Estrada for their heroism; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Officers Wayne Kramer and Fred Estrada.
Alderman - 14th ...
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