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Firefighters honor Leadville woman for taking heroic action

Battalion Chief Chris Sutton, Lieutenant Paul Stoltman, Fire Chief Karl Bauer surround Chris Sebrell as she is presented with the Citizen's Lifesaving Award on Thursday. Sebrell rescued a woman who's car had rolled 550 feet down Battle Mountain's side on a snowy night. Sebrell helped the young woman to safety, warmed her in her van and called 9-1-1.

AVON — The heroic actions of a Leadville woman were recognized Thursday at the Eagle River Fire Protection District’s monthly board meeting. Chris Sebrell, of Leadville, was presented with the Citizen’s Lifesaving Award by department chief Karl Bauer. Sebrell received a medal and framed certificate for her actions on night of Nov. 15, 2014 that probably saved the life of a young woman.

Around midnight on Nov. 15, 2014, fire crews and Eagle County Paramedic Services were dispatched to an area on U.S. Highway 24 near Gilman on a report of a single vehicle motor vehicle accident with injuries. Engine 5 (Minturn) and Engine 7 (Avon) responded and were advised that the victim was being cared for by a passerby, Chris Sebrell.

Sebrell commutes from Leadville, as she has done for the past 25 years. The weather was cold and snowy with poor visibility, and Sebrell said she “always watches for tracks.” On this particular night, she not only noticed a single set of vehicle tracks going off the road, she stopped to investigate and located a young woman whose car had rolled approximately 550 feet down the mountainside. After helping the victim up the snowy embankment, Sebrell warmed her in her van and called 911.



“This award is long overdue,” Bauer said as he presented the award to Sebrell. “However, that in no way diminishes the importance of your actions, as the victim would probably not be with us today if you had not stopped when you saw something that did not look right.”


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