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Public Service Award Goesto Three NDOR EmployeesBy Linda WilsonCommunication DivisionThree NDOR employees receivedspecial recognition from the NebraskaState Patrol (NSP) for their braveryand courageous acts, assisting withsaving three lives on January 7.Their actions occurred during a severewinter storm with blizzard conditions,temperatures well below zero, andwind chills from 18 to 27 degreesbelow zero.Nebraska State Patrol Colonel BryanTuma presented the NSP’s PublicService Award to JohnPeterson and JudyNeeman, HighwayMaintenance WorkersSr., and to Robert Rice,Highway MaintenanceSupervisor, onMarch 22 in theHighway CommissionMeeting Room at theDepartment of Roads’Central Office inLincoln. All three areemployees at NDOR’sNebraska City officein District 1. ColonelTuma thanked thethree for their selflessacts, noting their concern andcompassion served as a testament totheir integrity and they have earnedeveryone’s respect and admiration.NDOR Director Monty Fredricksonalso thanked the Roads employeesfor their quick thinking andcourageous acts. District 1 EngineerRich Ruby said he appre ciated howwell they reacted to the call, as theirefforts saved three lives. District 1Operations & Mainte nance ManagerRoger Kalkwarf noted that theseemployees made the extra effort tocome out after a long, challengingday’s work, through a wintersnowstorm, which was very muchappreciated.The heroic actions were precededby a phone call received by the NSPCommunications Dispatch Center froma concerned mother-in-law advisingthat she had received a telephone callfrom her son-in-law stating he hadbeen stranded in his car for more thantwo hours in the winter storm, alongHighway 34. The son-in-law advisedthat another female motorist was alsostranded on the highway and hadbeen in her vehicle for more than threehours. Sharing one car together, thefuel was beginning to run low andboth individuals were complaining ofbeing very tired. They kept the carwindows slightly opened to allowfresh air to flow through; however,both individuals were suffering fromhypothermia and frostbite.Contact was made to Cass CountySheriff’s Office personnel for assistance;however, due to the severe blowingand drifting snow, they were unable(see Public Service on next page)Pictured clockwise - NDOR Director Monty Fredrickson and NSPColonel Bryan Tuma presented Public Service Awards to Robert Rice,John Peterson and Judy Neeman for their courageous actions duringa severe winter storm on January 7. They work at NDOR’s NebraskaCity office in District 1.7 Roadrunner April/May 2010