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SBSO DEPUTIES RECEIVE KIWANIS LIFESAVER AWARD
Three St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office deputies received the Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard-Arabi Sammie Catalanotto LifeSaver Award at a banquet hosted by Kiwanis Tuesday evening (Jan. 23) at Rocky and Carlo’s Restaurant in Chalmette, Sheriff James Pohlmann said.
Recipients are: Capt. Stephen Ingargiola, Lt. Jorge Vargas and Dep. Dwayne Drewes.
These three deputies were selected for this honor for saving the life of a man on Jan. 7 after he collapsed and became unresponsive while running in a road race on St. Bernard Highway in Chalmette.
Dep. Drewes, who was the first to arrive on the scene, caught the man as he was falling and prevented him from hitting his head.
Seconds later, Capt. Ingargiola and Lt. Vargas arrived on the scene and realized the man was not breathing so they immediately began CPR, with Capt. Ingargiola doing chest compressions and Lt. Vargas administering breaths until Acadian Ambulance arrived.
The man, Francis Braud of Kenner, has since made a full recovery and has contacted all three deputies to express his gratitude.
“I have been asking myself how do I thank someone for saving my life, so I am so happy to hear these fine young men will be honored for their heroic efforts,” Braud said. “I will forever be grateful to them.”
Braud made a monetary donation to the Kiwanis LifeSaver program as a tribute to these three deputies, with whom he has formed meaningful friendships.
Sheriff Pohlmann said this incident highlights the crucial significance of training in law enforcement, and its profound influence on life-saving efforts.
“Without the swift actions of these three deputies, this man might not have survived,” the Sheriff said. “Their training and experience played a vital role in this situation.”
Here’s a look at each deputy’s career in law enforcement:
Capt. Stephen Ingargiola began his law enforcement career 27 years ago. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, and currently serves as the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Director of Training and Education.
Capt. Ingargiola has served in various capacities throughout his career, including as a Patrol deputy, a Special Investigations Narcotics Agent, a Special Operations bomb tech and dive team member, and a SWAT Entry Team Leader.
He is a 2015 graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and currently serves as president of the Louisiana Chapter of FBI’s National Academy Associates.
Capt. Ingargiola didn’t hesitate when he arrived on the scene.
“I never even thought about it,” he said. “My training and experience just kicked in.”
Capt. Ingargiola humbly shared his gratitude for being honored and is thankful he was in the right place at the right time.
“I’m truly honored to receive this life-saving award,” he said. “Although this is not the part of the job that we sign up for, I appreciate my efforts being recognized and for valuing the importance of learning CPR and the significance of helping someone in need, even if they are strangers.”
Lt. Jorge Vargas joined the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office 15 years ago and currently serves as a platoon commander in the Patrol Division.
During his career, Lt. Vargas has served as a deputy at the Parish Prison, as a member and Crisis Negotiator on the SWAT Team, as a Field Training Officer and as the department’s only English/Spanish Translator and Interpreter.
Lt. Vargas, who also happens to be a certified EMT, is a 2023 graduate of the FBI’s National Academy.
Reflecting on a critical moment, Lt. Vargas emphasized the intensity of emergencies and the surge of urgency he experienced when realizing CPR was needed.
“Constant focus is necessary during these types of emergencies as they are always intense,” Lt. Vargas said. “When I realized we needed to perform CPR, adrenaline coursed through my veins as my training set in to handle the task at hand.”
Receiving the Lifesaver Award holds a deep significance to Lt. Vargas.
“This award serves as a reminder of the positive difference that one can make in other people’s lives through a career as a law enforcement officer,” he said. “It validates my commitment to public service and recognition of the impact we make in our community.”
Dep. Dwayne Drewes joined the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office in 2017 as a deputy at the Juvenile Detention Center.
For the past five years, Dep. Drewes has served as security at the St. Bernard Courthouse, ensuring the safety of individuals in and around the courthouse, and providing support during court proceedings as needed.
And on a special note, Dep. Drewes probably doesn’t want me to mention this, but he was injured during the incident when he broke the man’s fall and is currently out on leave receiving treatment for his injuries.
Dep. Drewes said he just did what any of his fellow officers would have done.
“I tried to reach and catch him when he fell and I stepped in front of him to make sure he didn’t hit his face when he was going down,” he said.
Dep. Drewes’ motivation to be a police officer is simple, yet profound.
“I have a desire to help people and keep St. Bernard safe,” he said.
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