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Strong communities start with trustworthy reporting—give to local news now! DECORAH — On July 7, 2025, three officers with the Decorah Police Department and three Deputies with the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office were recognized at a Decorah City Council meeting for their heroic and courageous actions that resulted in a person being rescued from a house fire on April 20, 2025. The house fire, at 201 Lawrence Street, was reported by the resident through a medical alarm device. Upon arrival on scene, Decorah Police Officers attempted entry into the home and were met with heavy smoke, making entry impossible. Decorah Police officers began attempting contact through windows of the residence, and with the help of Winneshiek County Deputies, access through a bedroom window was gained. The victim, a 78-year-old woman, was able to make her way to the window, and was pulled through the window to safety by officers. Officer Chris McLellan, Officer Tera Mathis, Sgt. Adam Ytzen, Deputy Lance Peters, Deputy Trevor Thomas and Deputy Fallon Cassidy were awarded a certificate recognizing their courage and commitment to Public Safety along with a uniform lifesaving bar for their actions that night. Chief Thein stated, "These Officers and Deputies do great deeds regularly at work, so these actions do not surprise me—however, I am thankful for the opportunity to share my gratitude publicly for the heroic acts they and their teammates do-and their willingness to go that extra mile. Decorah is blessed to have such committed professionals in their community." The efforts of the Decorah Police officers were enhanced during this incident by the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office, The Winneshiek County 911 Communications Center, the Decorah Fire Department and the Winneshiek County Ambulance Service. Knowledge is power! Stay empowered by subscribing to the free newsletter, packed with valuable insights, stories of local newsmakers and ideas to get your weekend started.

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Life-Saving Officers and Deputies Recognized at City Council Meeting