A member of Roofers Local 49 earns Lifesaving Award

Todd Brewer, a member of Portland Roofers Local 49, received a Lifesaving Award from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office during a special ceremony April 29. The award is presented to a member of the community who is directly responsible for the saving of a human life.

Brewer was cited for saving the lives of a man and a 9-year-old boy after the car they were in plunged into the the 45-degree North Portland Harbor at Jantzen Beach on the afternoon of Dec. 13, 1998.

Brewer, who lives at Jantzen Bay, was pumping out his boat when he saw the car miss a curve, hit a curb, go airborne and plunge into the water.

Brewer immediately starting yelling for someone to call 9-1-1 and the River Patrol as he backed his boat out of its slip and proceeded under the Interstate Bridge where he had seen the car hit and disappear. He estimated it was about 25 seconds before he saw two heads surface a few feet away.

Brewer pulled the boy, who was gasping for air, into the boat. He couldn't pull the adult aboard, but grasping him with one hand and steering the boat with the other, Brewer headed for his home about 100 feet away.

Brewer then got the two out of their wet clothes, into hot showers and filled them with warm food and drinks.