Veteran Santaquin Firefighter’s Heroics Lauded: Scott Bernards Named AAA Utah Rescuer of the Year

Scott Bernards (pictured, right), an 11-year veteran firefighter who currently serves the Santaquin Fire Department, was named Rescuer of the Year in Utah by AAA, with a room full of his peers and family members watching on inside the Santaquin Publilc Safety building Tuesday evening, October 21 . While on vacation in November 2013, Bernards rescued his 80-year-old aunt from a fire that destroyed her Idaho family home and sustained injuries as he helped extinguish the blaze alongside the local fire department. At the ceremony, AAA Utah  awarded $10,000 in Bernards’ name to a nonprofit rescue organization of his choice, the Santaquin Fire/EMS Association.   (Story published in the print edition of The Payson Chronicle.)

Scott Bernards, eleven-year veteran firefighter with the Santaquin Fire Department, received an award last week befitting his heroics.  While on vacation a year ago, Bernards rescued his 80-year-old aunt from a fire that destroyed her Idaho family home, and sustained injuries as he helped extinguish the blaze alongside the local fire department, according to reports. AAA Utah awarded $10,000 in Bernards’ name to non-profit rescue organization of his choice as he was honored among family and peers in the Public Safety Building, located on the west end of Santaquin Main Street.  

Bernards has chosen the Santaquin Fire/EMS Association as recipient of the funds. AAA presented an additional $3,000 to Bernards directly to use to fund another vacation.

“He is being honored as a hero tonight,” Santaquin Mayor Kirk Hunsaker said, as he opened the October 21 ceremony.  “And I don’t think he feels like he is, but I want him to know he is tonight.”  

Bernards, along with his family, had traveled to Samaria, Idaho, to visit his aunt, Kay Higley in November 2013. He had been helping hang sheetrock inside a cabin when he and his younger brother, Daniel, noticed smoke smoldering out from the rooftop of their aunt’s home, close to a half a mile away.   

With his brother, Daniel, “He headed down there and, sure enough, there was a fire which had spread from the chimney, the fireplace area, right up into the attic space, and proceeded to make a mess of things,” Stephen Olson, Santaquin Fire Chief said as he lauded Bernards’ efforts last week.

Higley, an 80-year-old widow, was living in the house with her two dogs.  Bernards pulled his aunt out of the house just before the roof over her collapsed and then returned back inside to attempt to save one of the dogs.

Bernards instantly became the incident commander, although he was covered in burns. When the local fire department arrived to help contain the fire, Bernards mentored and lead the fire crew, despite his injuries. Today, Bernards’ family is rebuilding a house on the same property for Higley so their family tradition of visiting a special place will continue for many generations to come.

Chief Olson noted last week that a firefighter’s role is not one that he or she steps in and out of to perform only within the region their department is assigned.  “Being a firefighter, being an EMT, a paramedic, is not just something that you do,” Olson said.  “It’s who you are, it’s what you are.”  When needed, firefighters are there to serve, regardless of where they are, according to Olson.

Bernards’ family were among those in the audience last week to support him as he was named AAA Rescuer of the Year.  Including his brother, Daniel, with whom he humbly shared credit, his wife and fellow firefighter, Alison, with whom he shared the spotlight, and Aunt Kay, whose life was saved when a Santaquin firefighter found himself needed in Idaho.