Submitted photo
Brown County Rotarians Jenny Johnson and Mike Laros present Jackson Township Volunteer Firefighter Todd Fisher with his Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Award. Fisher received his award for rescuing a young woman from Lake Lemon after her car entered the water from a causeway.
A local volunteer firefighter was recently recognized by the Rotary Club of Brown County for rescuing a young driver from the waters of Lake Lemon last winter.
Jackson Township Volunteer firefighter and Indiana State Highway Department employee Todd Fisher was presented the Paul Harris Fellow recognition award by Brown County Rotarians Jenny Johnson and Mike Laros last month.
Fisher received the award as recognition for “his contribution to our community exemplified by the heroic rescue” of a young woman from Lake Lemon who was trapped in her submerged vehicle last December, a press release from Rotary states.
Fisher was at his home on Lake Lemon when his fire radio went off with the call on Dec. 17. His home is located on almost the exact opposite side of the lake where the 18-year-old driver had entered the lake, he explained at the time.
Knowing the area well, Fisher said he knew it may be a while before emergency personnel from either county could respond. He jumped in his vehicle and headed to the scene.
Once at the scene, Fisher dove in and used a metal bar to pry open the back door and let the young driver out.
Fisher estimated it took him seven minutes from the time dispatch reported the call to when he reached the driver in the water.
The next day Fisher heard from the young driver’s parents who were thankful he was there to rescue their daughter miles away from her home in Shelbyville.
The driver also called Fisher to thank him for helping her.
Fisher is a former police officer and has been a volunteer firefighter with the Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department since around 2017.
After the rescue, Jackson Township Fire Chief Glenn Elmore also applauded Fisher for his bravery.
Elmore said Fisher always “goes beyond the call of duty.”
“Mr. Fisher is a remarkable individual and example of what ‘service above self’ can mean for Rotarians and for our community,” the Rotary release states.
