St. Charles Firefighters Named Red Cross Heroes For Boat Rescue

ST. CHARLES, IL — Two members of the St. Charles Fire Department are being honored as “Everyday Extraordinary Heroes” by the American Red Cross for rescuing a family moments before their boat went over the Fox River dam last summer. Lt. David Chmelar and Firefighter/Paramedic Chad Tinsley were to be recognized at this year’s Red Cross Heroes Breakfast, but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chmelar and Tinsley received a call around 1:30 p.m. June 30, 2019, for a disabled boat near the dam and sprung into action. The boat’s engine had lost power and it was quickly nearing the dam with a man, woman and their teenage son on board, the firefighters recalled in a video from the Red Cross. The video also shows footage of the firefighters’ daring rescue amid a strong storm.

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After reaching the river, the two firefighters jumped in the St. Charles Fire Department’s rescue boat and reached the disabled boat about a minute later. Chmelar held the rescue boat up against the other boat as Tinsley helped the three family members onto the rescue boat. Within a minute of the rescue, the boat went over the dam.

“I knew we were close because I could hear it, I could hear the water below the dam,” Chmelar said.

“Forty seconds later, the boat went over the dam, and it was probably the closest call i've ever experienced,” he added.

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Retired St. Charles Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet credited Chmelar and Tinsley for overcoming a variety of difficult circumstances “in a flawless manner” to rescue the family.

“There were a number of things that were stacked up against them as rescuers,” Schelstreet said. “I can state unequivocally that if Lt. Chmelar and Firefighter Tinsley had not performed in the flawless manner in which they did, we would have had fatalities or serious injuries.”