Steve Schultz, RN, a staff nurse in the Emergency Treatment Center, will receive the Iowa Governor’s Lifesaving Award from Gov. Chet Culver August 13, at the Iowa State Fair for his response to an emergency situation last November.
While traveling in his boat following a rainy afternoon of bird hunting at the Hawkeye State Wildlife Area in Johnson County, Schultz encountered four young men who had been tossed into the cold Iowa River when their boat overturned. With darkness fast approaching and the weather worsening, Schultz pulled the men from the water, called 911, and raced to nearby Swan Lake Road, where emergency rescue personnel had just arrived and were staging their own rescue (one of the men in the water had called for help minutes before Schultz happened to pass by). In fact, he powered his boat through a flooded cornfield to reach the emergency crew, since the road to the boat launch was partially under water.
“I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t been there. It would have taken the rescue folks some time to launch their stuff and find out where these guys were,” Schultz later recalled. “I hate to think about what could have happened.”
The following excerpt of Schultz's experience comes from an interview published as part of an on-line feature for UI Hospitals and Clinics nursing staff.
Let’s talk about the rescue.
This happened on a Monday afternoon. I was at home, and my hunting dog was going crazy because he’d been cooped up—I’d worked all weekend—so I thought, let’s just go out and run the river, work the dog, and do a little scouting. It was overcast and kind of rainy, but not too bad. The water levels at the Coralville Reservoir were about 30 feet higher than normal during waterfowl season—due to the non-stop rain for weeks—so most of the roads were flooded.
We headed up west on the Iowa River for about 15 to 20 minutes. There were flooded cornfields everywhere, but it was beautiful. The birds were everywhere, kicking up and pitching into a feast of corn, so I set up for hunting, got some shooting in and worked the dog. It was a wonderful day, but the sun was to set soon and I could see bad weather moving in.
So I packed up, and as my dog and I were motoring back to Babcock Launch, it started getting worse. The wind was kicking up some big rollers—three-foot waves, plus torrential rain. The wind was actually blowing the rain sideways and was really working against me. It took me probably 45 minutes to get back to where my truck was.
In fact, I was skirting the south shore and missed where my truck was, due to being landmark challenged. I had gone about a quarter- to half-mile beyond where I needed to be.
As I slowed down to turn around, I heard some yelling. I had my spotlight on, and lo and behold, I saw two people waving in the water—no lifejackets, just screaming for help.
They said their boat capsized, and they had two more buddies out there. They’d been in the water for over an hour. They were too weak to get into the boat, so I dropped my ladder and basically dragged them in. I could see that they were pretty confused, almost delusional. They had stripped off their coats and waders, so the only thing they had on were their UnderArmour, socks, and sweatshirts. That was it.
The temperature was in the 40s, and the water temperature must have been below 50. I got these two young men in as quickly as I could, and got my heaters going. One kid was convulsing.
By now it’s about 5:30 in the afternoon. I called 911. I started moving around the north to get around this willow stand in the water, and as I’m spotting with my light to see where the edge is, I get a gleam off their overturned boat. Sure enough, there were two more guys out there, hanging onto the boat. They were in a little better condition because they still had on their coats and waders, but they were in really cold water. They were stuck because as their boat flipped over, the anchor dropped—the boat couldn’t float to the shore.
One of these guys (in the water) had a phone that still worked. He couldn’t dial a number and send it, but he could hit recall and send, so he had called his brother in New York, who called 911 in Johnson County. As a result, EMS and North Liberty and Swisher rescue teams were already en route before I’d called.
I picked up those two in the water, and we got around the willow stand. By now, the rescue people had starting staging on Swan Lake Road, but it was partially underwater, so they weren’t coming any further. I just plowed through a flooded cornfield and brought them right up to the road. The rescuers and I got those first two young men in the ambulance and transported—they were actually seen in our emergency room.
The other two gentlemen, after giving statements to authorities, were taken back to their trucks and they took off. They were cold and wet, but basically OK.
I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t been there. It would have taken the rescue folks some time to launch their stuff and find out where these guys were. I hate to think about what could have happened.
So how did the Governor’s Lifesaving Award come about?
I was working a few days later, and the two young men who had gone to the E.R. showed up with their parents; they apparently did some inquiring about how to find me. There were a lot of tears and hugs.
Also, they gave me a gift card to Scheels for their appreciation. For a couple of college kids to scrape up money to give me as a gift card—I thought that was pretty impressive! I found out later that one of the mothers of these young men nominated me for this Lifesaving Award.
Everything these guys lost was still out there, so apparently they went out the next day and recovered the boat and some of their stuff—all except for one shotgun, a couple sweatshirts, a spotlight, and a couple decoys. I felt bad for this one young man who lost his firearm, so I got on one of our local outdoor online forums and got a fundraiser started. I worked it out with Scheels so that he could get another firearm.
So you stayed in touch and became friends with these guys?
Sure…we got together some money for this young man to get another shotgun. But as the water dropped and the snow melted, he went back out and found it in early January—it was a little rusty, but he cleaned it up and it works like a charm. In the end, he turned around and donated all the money he’d received to the Haiti relief fund, which was almost $1,000.
Later, I got a formal letter from the State Patrol saying I’d received this honor and asking me to come to Des Moines to receive this award at the State Fair. The governor will present it to me.
That’s an amazing story…so how long have you been an E.R. nurse?
Since 1995. I’ve been here the whole time. I was with AirCare from 2000 until last year.
(Editor's note: Schultz will again join AirCare, the UI Hospitals and Clinics air ambulance service, in September, splitting his duties half in the Emergency Treatment Center and half with AirCare.)
Did your experience as an E.R. nurse help you in the rescue situation?
Yes, but it was pretty much an instinctive reaction, to be honest. When I was working toward my paramedic certification—before I became a nurse—one lesson that stood out for me early in my training was: The best paramedic, or the best nurse, is going to be the best “basic.” If you can do something at a basic level, you’ll go far. And this rescue speaks to that. I had nothing—the only thing I had were the heaters in my boat, a cell phone, and a fast motor that could plow through anything. I had that basic training, but your instincts kick in. You get the tunnel vision and you know what needs to be done. These guys needed to get dry and warm, and that was my impetus to get them to shore to the rescue personnel.
What is it about emergency medicine that appeals to you?
I like the fact that you never really know what’s coming through the door. I like the challenge of having to figure out what’s really going on underneath all the blood or whatever. It’s controlled chaos, and I thrive on that.
How do you hold it together when it’s chaos?
It’s so ingrained in the training that you see what needs to be done and you get it done. Everyone on the care team is on the same page. Words do not have to be spoken—as someone is reaching for equipment, someone will be handing it to you. I love it when all of the pieces come together and cases go like that. Patients appreciate it, too.
Any last thoughts?
I’m just so humbled by all this attention. People have said things like “hero,” but I was just in the right place at the right time. Anybody would have done the same thing.
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