Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-20
life SAVING
MEDAL GIVEN
Central Power Safety
Club Holds Meet
In Weslaco
Especial to The Eerald)

XESLACO, July 20.-About 500
employees and visitors Of the Central
Power and Light company attended
the Dan Webster Safety Meeting and
witnessed the presentation Of an in
sUll Medal and Certificate Of Merit
TO VI. A. Smith Of Weslaco, by 4. b.
Neiswanger Of San Antonio, at the
Meslaco high school auditorium.
The meeting was one OF a series OF
meetings Of the Dan Webster club.
Frank c. Ludden presided at the
meeting J. II. Coleman talked on lice
Manufacturing and Handling" A. d.
Weaver spoke on the Operation and
Maintenance of Automobiles; a
housekeeping report was made by
James Sweeney of the ice depart
ment. A demonstration Of the Schafer
prone pressure method of resusclta-
tion for life saving was given, snow
ing the methods of working on one
two and three men at one time. An
analysis Of accidents and their costs
was discussed by j. l.. Bates. John
Morton Of San Antonio, head Of the
Bureau Of Safety read a list OF the
accidents for the Valley district Tor
this period and asked the cooperation
Of all foremen and managers to re-
duce this number.
History of Club
Neiswanger, vice president of the
Central Power and Light company,
gave a history Of the Dan Webster
club in the Valley, stating that the
club was named Dan Webster club
because Of the fact Dan Webster was
the first man TO meet death by acct
dent on the Central Power and Light
company's Valley properties.
He also stated that IN 1918 the
Safety. Bureau was organized and m
1919 il was incorporated, and mas
spread until il now serves one nun
bred forty companies in thirty states.
The insult Medal was decided upon
after a meeting in 1919 OF a commits
sion sponsored by the American Meu-
ical asosciation, the National Electric
Light association and the American
Institute Of Electrical Engineers, who
made a report as to the efficiency
and the technique OF the Schafer
prone pressure method of resuscita-
tion.
Many Saved
As a result Of its adoption by the
National Electric Light association
many successful cases Of resuscita-
ItNH 1INM GAtNAAAN4A ~ANNA W
ported by the member operating COM
panies. These cases were 50 num-
erous that the National Electric Light
association very much desired some
expression Of appreciation to those
who had been instrumental in saving
lives. This desire was brought to the
attention Of Samuel insult and IN
1922 he agreed 10 finance a medal
to be awarded by the association,
known as the insult Medal. The pur-
pose Of this medal was to show ap-
probation and recognition for the
saving Of human life. The greatest
of care is exercised in awarding the
medal. Affidavits are required TO
show that respiration had ceased and
that ali. awards are meritorious.
Since 1892 more than two hundred
and fourteen Of these medals have
been given out with ~tweRty-six cases
pending.
Smith Saved Man
The Bureau offers the insult Medal
for conspicuous heroism or faithful
ness in life saving, as in the case of
Charles BRAKEMAN, who came in con-
tact with a trolley wire OF the ice
hoist in the Weslaco plant at . p. m.
on February II, 1927. and due TO the
shock respiration had ceased entirely,
Smith. being the engineer at the
plant, worked faithfully on BRAKEMAN
using the prone pressure method of
resuscitation for IS minutes unaided.
Smith saw BRAKEMAN when he came
in contact with the wire, and went
TO his rescue without waiting TO sum
mons help. II was due TO his heroic
work that the medal and certificate
was awarded.
The Central Power and Light Com
pany quartet composed Of Lewis
Hirsch. II. W. ST. John, W. L. Will
liams and Il. r. Boiling gave several
selections on the program which were
we'll received.