DNR Conservation Officers Honored For Lifesaving

The Minnesota DNR’s Enforcement Division has recognized nine conservation officers for lifesaving efforts. 

On the early evening of September 1, conservation officer Coby Fontes of Warroad learned a boat had overturned on Lake of the Woods and the two occupants’ life jackets were trapped under the watercraft.  He located the anglers…one of whom was on top of the boat, the other was in 68 degree water.  Fontes got both men into his boat and gave them life jackets.  The man who had been in the water appeared to be in the early stages of hypothermia.  Fontes gave him a dry jacket and pants to wear.  After taking the two to shore where emergency personnel were waiting, Fontes returned to their overturned boat to recover equipment that was floating away. 

And then on the first day of Minnesota’s firearms deer season in November, conservation officer Nick Bruesewitz responded to a call in Marshall County about a hunter who had sustained a gunshot wound.  When he arrived, Bruesewitz saw the wound in a man’s thigh and made a tourniquet above the wound.  It took one more tourniquet to stop the bleeding.  Then Brusewitz kept the man conscious until an ambulance arrived.