Bartending and saving lives don’t typically go together; however, such was the case for three Islander 71 staff members who rescued a couple from drowning in their submerging SUV at the Isle of Palms Marina.
On Sept. 24, Johnny Himmelsbach, Shannon Standhart and Cash Luther were recognized by the Isle of Palms City Council for pulling a visiting area couple from a submerging vehicle. The incident happened the night of Sept. 14 near the boat ramp adjacent to the restaurant.
The rescued couple had been visiting the Isle of Palms from the Chicago/ Midwest area. They drove their rented SUV off a boat ramp, not realizing where they were. In an instant, Himmelsbach jumped a fence, raced to the edge of the marina, jumped in water 13 feet deep and swam to the SUV – while Standhart simultaneously ran to the nearby fire department and phoned 911. Luther ran to assist Himmelsbach.
An EMS unit came to ensure the couple was OK. “It felt like a movie – it was all over in about five minutes,” Standhart said. “But this could have been a totally different outcome, and we can’t stop thinking about that.”
Award from Mayor Phillip Pounds for their heroic lifesaving actions and were also given a standing ovation for their bravery and quick thinking that turned a near tragedy into a real happy ending.
The Signal 30 Award honors a special citizen service and occurs on an extremely limited basis. The award was developed in 2002 and is named after an IOP Public Safety code for citizen service.
“This will be the 11th Signal 30 Award in 22 years, so pretty awesome,” Pounds said to Himmelsbach and Standhart during the presentation. Luther was unable to attend the event. “What you guys did is just fantastic and inspiring.”
Islander 71 General Manager Chris Sollom added that the threesome also received a letter from District 1 Congresswoman Nancy Mace, acknowledging their efforts and thanking them for their bravery.
“I am honored for all three of them to be a part of my staff,” Sollom said, “and really glad the incident turned out OK.”
Both Police Chief Kevin Cornett and Fire Chief Craig Oliverius recommended the trio for the Signal 30 Award, which on average has been given only about once every two years since its creation in 2002.
Past recipients have been recognized for similar feats, such as:
• Saving a neighbor’s life. • Preventing the spread of a house fire.
• Pulling an accident victim from a tractor trailer rig just before it burst into flames.
• Performing CPR and saving the life of a person in cardiac arrest.
• Volunteer coaching, keeping the area beaches clean from litter and the creation of a medical loan closet to assist residents and visitors with special needs.
At the presentation, Himmelsbach said that while the honor wasn’t necessary, it was “greatly appreciated,” and that the plaque the council awarded would make “a nice Christmas gift for mom.”
“Some friends and people who come in the restaurant talk about it, and I get a couple of handshakes,” Himmelsbach said. “Other than that, it’s business as usual. I’m just glad no one was hurt.”
By L. C. Leach III
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