By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
The Mesquite Rotary Clubs each have honored a local first responder with the Safety Officer Award Recognition (SOAR) for 2021. A brief ceremony presenting the awards were held at the Mesquite City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 12.
The Sunrise Rotary Club recognize Mesquite Police Detective Ryan Hughes. The Rotary Club of Mesquite recognized Firefighter/Paramedic Thomas Limov.
SOARS has been presented by Rotary clubs in communities throughout Southern Nevada each year since 2000. Each award honors the ordinary officer, who day in and day out, performs his or her job in an outstanding manner.
The Mesquite Police and Fire/Rescue Departments were well represented at last week’s presentation with family and friends. The perpetual trophy presented has all past recipients’ names engraved on the plaque. The trophies remain in the headquarters for the Police and Fire Departments until next year’s award ceremony when new names will be added.
“I was honored to be the representative for the Sunrise Rotary Club in presenting the 2021 Safety Officers Award and Recognition to Detective Ryan Hughes,” said Rotarian Jake Noll during the ceremony. “I have been involved in the Southern Nevada Rotary Clubs SOAR program for the last 13 yrs.
The men and women who put their lives on the line each and every day to keep us safe and when necessary, use their training to save lives, for me this has a special meaning since I was one of the lives they saved 2 years ago.”
Detective Ryan Hughes has been part of the Mesquite Police Department since 2016. For the past five years he has been known as the most proactive officer of the department. He has a keen ability to locate and apprehend criminals.
Detective Hughes has been extremely busy this past year working along with his K9 partner Rogue. Together, they have seized over forty pounds of methamphetamine, fifty-five pounds of marijuana, and five stolen vehicles, four stolen firearms, and thousands of dollars in stolen property.
The Mesquite Rotary Club President Linda Gault said, “Mesquite Rotary is very honored to present the 2021 Safety Officers Award again this year and recognize Firefighter/Critical Care Paramedic Thomas Limov as this year’s recipient. Rotary is grateful for the men and women who train and unselfishly serve our community.”
On July 5, 2021, Limov responded ,along with four other first responders to an unresponsive individual found slumped over the steering wheel of a parked vehicle along the side of the roadway. Limov took the lead medical provider position and began assessing the patient. He noted the vehicle did not have any working air conditioning and the temperature that day was in the triple digits. Limov assessment indicated the patient was possibly having a heat stroke.
The patient was removed and placed in the back of the ambulance where active cooling and medical treatment was provided. The patient was transferred by medical helicopter to the hospital in St George, Utah. The quick actions of Linov and the other providers on the scene lead to the patient having a full recovery.
