During a recent visit Fishtrap Lake Colonel Evers presented the Star of Life Award to Ranger Larry McGaughy for his actions to save the life of a man who was boating at the lake. He is the only recipient of the Star of Life Award within LRD this past year.
The citation reads:
Park Ranger Larry McGaughy is awarded the LRD Star of Life for his actions that resulted in the rescue of a distressed boater at Fishtrap Lake, Huntington District, on the day of 20 JULY 2020. At approximately 1600 hours Ranger McGaughy received a call from a man requesting a tow for his fathers disabled boat. During the call, the man relayed to Ranger McGaughy that the disabled boat was in the upper part of the lake and that he believed his father’s oxygen tank had run out. Understanding a tow would take over two hours, and with the temperature above 90 degrees, Ranger McGaughy asked the man to meet him at the ramp with some gas and immediately dispatched Chris Castle from the Millard Fire Department with a charged oxygen tank. Arriving on scene they discovered a small bass boat with three small children and two adults who had no water or oxygen and who had been on the lake for several hours. One adult was lying on the boat floor in very poor condition. Unable to safely transfer him to another boat, Ranger McGaughy had the disabled vessel fueled while he called an ambulance to meet them at the marina. While in transit the man suffered several seizures and continued to have seizures while receiving treatment by paramedics at the marina prior to being transported to the hospital. The series of time-saving decisions, and coordination of efforts made by Ranger McGaughy is directly attributed to saving the victim’s life. Ranger McGaughy’s actions reflect greatly upon his person, Fishtrap Lake, the Huntington District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.