(April 21) On Thursday, April 17, Umatilla Electric Cooperative Journeyman Meterman Jake Royer received Northwest Public Power Association’s Safety Heroism Award at the association’s 2025 Engineering & Operations Conference in Spokane, Washington.
NWPPA’s Safety Heroism Award recognizes a person or team that displayed an act of unselfish and voluntary assistance in a situation where life, significant injury, or significant property loss would have been incurred were it not for the efforts of the person or team.
In February 2024, while going about his normal day at Umatilla Electric, Royer noticed something out of the ordinary. While in a mall parking lot, he saw two people acting strangely. Looking closer, he quickly realized that one person was unresponsive, and the other was attempting to perform CPR. However, the person performing CPR had very little, if any, training. Royer stepped in to assist without hesitation. He administered CPR with precision and determination.
When the initial first responder, a police officer, arrived on scene and offered to relieve him, Royer declined, as he was not yet fatigued. He continued performing CPR, which allowed the officer to provide additional first aid. Paramedics arrived shortly after and took over. Remarkably, the person regained consciousness while being transported to the ambulance—a direct result of Royer’s heroic and timely intervention.
Royer’s actions not only ensured the immediate delivery of life-saving measures but also allowed others at the scene to provide further assistance. His actions exemplify the highest standards of courage and selflessness and serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of situational awareness and readiness to act in emergencies.
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