FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 2, 2015

Contact: 1st Lt. John Jurcich, 231-775-9727 ext. 6100 or Capt. Wade Hamilton, 231-922-5280

DNR conservation officers perform lifesaving operations during Pentwater fire

The quick response and lifesaving actions of two Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers prevented injuries and potentially saved lives Monday during an Oceana County business fire.

Shortly after 11 p.m., while speaking to an angler at the Pentwater fish-cleaning station, conservation officer Troy VanGelderen and probationary conservation officer Andrew Monnich – who is undergoing an 18-week field training program after graduating from the DNR conservation officer academy – heard two small explosions and a car alarm. The officers immediately responded on foot and discovered a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The fire quickly spread to a natural gas line and area business, Dockside Restaurant and Pizzeria.

The officers immediately reported the fire to Oceana County Central Dispatch and then began evacuations.

“During this process, the officers were told that a man was sleeping in the basement of one building,” said 1st Lt. John Jurcich. “The officers entered, woke the man, and saw him safely out.”

The officers also instituted evacuation procedures at a nearby condominium by pounding on each door and ensuring all residents were safe.

After the arrival of five area fire departments, the conservation officers remained on scene to ensure the safety of the growing crowd.

“Michigan conservation officers are often the first responders on the scene,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “They routinely conduct lifesaving operations including ice rescue, search and rescue and first aid. This is another example of the critical work they do to serve the public.”

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.

Learn more about the work of Michigan conservation officers at www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.