Capitol Notebook: Six Iowans recognized for rescuing others from burning buildings

Six Iowans who rescued others from burning buildings were recognized for their courage and selfless acts of bravery Monday at the annual Governor's Lifesaving and Sullivan Brothers awards ceremony.

“Today, we have the opportunity to express our gratitude for the astonishing courage,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said at the ceremony held in the Iowa Capitol rotunda.

Caleb Crocker, of Guttenberg, and Andrew Krieg, of Cylinder, were presented with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award. Established in 1977, the award is given to everyday Iowans who perform courageous acts in an attempt to save another person’s life or selflessly assist in an emergency situation.

Crocker was working the night shift at a group home in Guttenberg for Iowans with disabilities when it caught fire last December. Iowa Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens said Crocker was treated for smoke inhalation after he rescued residents.

“As the home started to fill with smoke, Caleb continually reentered the home not once, not twice, but five times and guided, and in some instances carried, the residents to safety,” Bayens said. “Throughout this ordeal, Caleb remained calm and focused even though the residents were scared, confused and didn’t really appreciate what was unfolding.”

Krieg was working at a rural Palo Alto County farm on Nov. 28, 2022, when he got a call from a fellow farm hand who reported seeing smoke coming from the acreage of an elderly neighbor, and was asked to if could drive by and check it out. Bayens said when Krieg arrived, the home was on fire, the door was locked and he “could just make out the faint silhouette of a hand inside the smoke-filled room.

“Andrew forced his way in through the locked door, ventured inside the burning home, battled the thick smoke billowing inside and located the elderly resident lying on the floor,” Bayens said, and carried him to safety.

Shelby County Sheriff Neil Gross and deputies Cody Eckles, Jacob Hoss and William McDaniel were presented with the Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor, which recognizes peace officers and firefighters for heroic acts above and beyond the normal call of duty.

The officers were recognized for rescuing a suicidal man on July 12, 2021 who had barricaded himself in a home in Elkhorn, screwed the doors shut from the inside and set the home on fire with the intention to blow up the home. Bayens said as rounds of ammunition started exploding inside the home, the man started pounding on a door asking for help.

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"In that moment, a decision had to be made. The threat of ambush was real,“ Bayens said. ”Ammunition appeared to be cooking off inside, and the prospect the house may explode was palpable. Nonetheless, these four men decided to bear those risks and attempt to save the occupant.“

Lead by Eckles carrying a ballistic shield, the four officers battered their way into the home and saved the man. The fire was later extinguished.

The award is named in honor of five brothers — all in their 20s — from Waterloo who perished while serving together on a Navy ship that was sunk in World War II. The brothers — George, Frank, Joe, Madison, and Albert Sullivan — died when two Japanese torpedoes struck their ship.

Waterloo third grade teacher Kelly Sullivan, the granddaughter of Albert Sullivan, attended the ceremony in the Capitol rotunda.

Reynolds appoints James Johnson as superintendent of banking

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday announced the appointment of James Johnson, of Gravity in southwest Iowa, to serve as the next superintendent of banking in the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services, beginning Jan. 1.

Johnson currently serves as the president and CEO of PCSB Bank, a family-owned community bank in Clarinda.

He has also served on the Board of the Iowa Bankers Association, where he chaired the group’s Agriculture Committee. Johnson graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado-Boulder, according a news release from the governor’s office.

Johnson, whose appointment is subject to confirmation by the Iowa Senate, will replace Jeff Plagge, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the year.

Plagge has served as the superintendent of banking since September 2019.

State Treasurer announces new College Savings Iowa website

State Treasurer Roby Smith announced the launch of a newly redesigned CollegeSavingsIowa.com.

Visitors are encouraged to explore the website to discover information about College Savings Iowa, including investment options, tax benefits, qualified withdrawals and the benefits of saving for education.

The College Savings Iowa 529 plan is a tax-advantaged way for Iowa families to save for tuition, room and board, computers, textbooks and other qualified education expenses at any eligible higher-education institution in the U.S. or abroad.

Additionally, up to $10,000 per year per student can be withdrawn to pay for tuition expenses in connection with enrollment at a K-12 institution.

Smith also encourages Iowans to sign up before Dec. 31 for a College Savings Iowa year-end giveaway, where two winners will receive a $5,290 College Savings Iowa account contribution.

Visit Iowa529Contest.com for the official rules and to register.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau