NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) -A day that will be unforgettable for so many in our area.
Crews battled whiteouts and freezing temperatures to rescue people from the twisted metal of their wrecked vehicles.
From the people answering the 911 calls to the officers climbing over cars to bring people to safety, dozens of law enforcement agencies came together in one room Tuesday. They all had one thing in common.
“We all went through a really horrific incident together as a group,” said Nick Romenesko with Gold Cross Ambulance Service.
Gold Cross Ambulance Service wanted to recognize everyone who helped on that day.
“We really never came together to say hey we did a really nice job,” said Romenesko.
Romenesko tells FOX 11 it was an event to thank law enforcement as well as the businesses and other people involved.
“You look back on a day like February 24, 2019, and you look at how many people really were involved to manage the incident.”
“It’s emotional, very emotional,” said Lt. Arlen Belisle with the Town of Neenah Fire department.
“God had us, every one of us, where he wanted us on that day, to be able to help and to serve.”
As they watched a video back from that day, Belisle tells FOX 11 he’s reminded of the lives that were changed forever.
“That was not the first time I have seen it but it feels like the first every time you see that.”
He said all of the training in the world cannot prepare you for that chaos.
“Cut the roof off, two people were able to get out, I carried them off the vehicle and the other two were trapped. We were able to move and position them to hold the collars on them get them on the board horizontal.”
Members of that family suffered life-threatening injuries. Belisle says he was able to watch them as they recovered, and he’s even had the chance to reunite with them since the crash.
“Lot of emotion, a lot of thankfulness.”
One person, 30-year old Andrew Schefelker died in the crash. He was a teacher at Iola-Scandinavia schools.
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office said almost all the vehicles involved in the crash were totaled.
