Three Lewiston emergency responders honored by American Legion Post 13

Corp. Cody Bloomsburg at the city of Lewiston Police Department has worked on ground-breaking indictments of individuals for distribution of fentanyl that led to deaths.

Capt. Willie Wicks at the Lewiston Fire Department has filled in for a battalion chief out for a surgery for six months, helped develop policy about loading hoses and is leading the formation of a new regional public fire department technical rescue team.

In less than two years as a full-time paramedic, Lewiston Fire Department Engineer Ryan Rhodes has developed a reputation for his “phenomenal” bedside manner, said Lewiston Fire Chief Gregory Rightmier.

The American Legion Post 13 honored Bloomsburg, Wicks and Rhodes for their contributions to the community at a recent Lewiston City Council meeting.

Bloomsburg was named the legion’s police officer of the year, Wicks received the honor of firefighter of the year and Rhodes won paramedic of the year.

Bloomsburg serves law enforcement in a number of ways, said Lewiston Police Chief Jason Kuzik, including being federally deputized as a member of the FBI’s North Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force.

On the task force, “he’s been able to indict people at the federal level for firearms,” Kuzik said. “He’s also one of the first ones in the entire region that’s indicted people at the state (and) federal level for distribution of fentanyl that’s wlead to deaths so much so that’s he’s become a resource for agencies around the state (that call) him asking how he was able to work through these programs and prosecutions and investigations.”

In addition to the task force, Bloomsburg is a detective who works on some of the most violent crimes in the community, is the SWAT Team leader, and is a corporal who mentors and trains other officers, Kuzik said.

“He is really one of the finest representatives of this agency and truly represents what the values of this agency are,” he said.

Like Bloomsburg, Wicks has performed at a high level in diverse assignments, Rightmier said.

Soon after his promotion to captain, he filled in for the battalion chief while coordinating a team that wrote a manual for how firefighters should handle hoses and nozzles to reflect the equipment in use at the department, Rightmier said.

The rescue team that’s being created is one that will respond to emergencies where individuals are trapped in grain elevators, at the top of cell towers or in trenches.

Wicks is a “spark plug” who gets everyone together and gets tasks done, he said.

“He exemplifies the courage, conviction and compassion that we value as Lewiston Fire Department members,” Rightmier said.

One of the times Rightmier noticed the other fire department honoree, Rhodes, was the day Rhodes was promoted to engineer.

It was a Sunday. Just after Rightmier pinned and congratulated Rhodes, Rightmier felt so lightheaded he needed to grab the counter to steady himself. Even so, contrary to the advice he gives everyone else, he proceeded to his car.

But when he reached his car, Rightmier realized his condition was serious enough he needed to be checked. That duty fell to Rhodes, who hooked him to a monitor and coordinated his transport to the hospital for additional care.

“He is a kind and compassionate health care professional,” Rightmier said.

A number of people recommended Rhodes for the honor, he said.

“I want you to know people … appreciate how you take care of patients day in and day out,” Rightmier said.

Williams can be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.