First responders honored at State Representative ceremony

Several local public safety members were honored Tuesday, October 14, 2025, as the Wisconsin State Assembly held a ceremony to honor first responders from across the state.

The “First Responder of the Year” award was established in 2019 to recognize the selfless service of firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, and other first responders.

Representative Jerry O’Connor of Fond du Lac County chose Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Deputy Blaine Evans and K9 Iro as the 60th Assembly District’s First Responders of the Year.

O’Connor said “Two years ago, Deputy Evans, and K-9 Iro narrowly avoided tragedy as on October 14, 2023, they responded to a 911 call in the City of Fond du Lac from a woman who said that she had just escaped a man who had sexually assaulted her and had been holding her at gunpoint.

Evans and his police dog, Iro, responded to the call, despite only having five minutes left in their shift. Deputy Evans and Iro attempted to apprehend the suspect but he exited his vehicle, and began firing a rifle at Deputy Evans and Iro.

Iro leaped into action, diverting the assailants’ rifle fire away from Deputy Evans. In defending the deputy, Iro was shot five times. Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt said, ‘without Iro, more bullets would have been fired not only at [Deputy] Evans, but also toward the residences behind him.’

After the assailant was neutralized, Deputy Evans said to a gravely wounded Iro, ‘You saved Dad, and now we have to save you.’

Iro was rushed to a local pet hospital for emergency surgeries and other life-saving measures. After a miraculous recovery and nearly a year of physical therapy, Iro returned to duty on full-time patrol in 2024.

O’Connor went on to say their courageous actions ended the situation without injury to innocent civilians.

In Winnebago County, Oshkosh Fire Department Captain Scott Rasmussen was recognized in the 54th Assembly District for building a peer support team for his fellow firefighters, recognizing the unique challenges of the profession.

And in Washington County the First Responder of the Year for the 98th Assembly District went to
Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Rauch who while responding to a call came across a vehicle on fire that had crashed into some woods. without hesitation, he broke a window, pulled the unresponsive driver from the car, and moved him to safety just moments before the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames.