Deputy Byron Shoemaker gets Kiwanis Life-Saver Award for actions in saving the life of a family’s pet dog dying from smoke inhalation in a house fire

St. Bernard Deputy Sheriff Byron Shoemaker told the St. Bernard-Arabi Kiwanis Club, “We are all vested in this community and what is important to you is important to us at the Sheriff’s Office’’ after he received the group’s Life-Saver Award for saving a family’s pet dog dying from smoke inhalation in a house fire.

Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters are recognized quarterly by the Kiwanis Club with the Life-Saver Award which is “in recognition of courageous service to our community,’’ said Chalmette businessman Sam Catalanotto, chairman for the Life-Saver Award. Kiwanis Club President Anthony Cole also participated in the ceremony held Nov. 27.

On Oct. 4, Shoemaker, a 3-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office who for 15 years had worked as an emergency medical technician, participated in saving the life of a dog who was barely breathing in periodic short breaths after being overcome by smoke inhalation in a fire at a Chalmette residence.

Shoemaker and Fire Department members kicked in the front door to see if anyone was inside. It turned out no one was home when the fire erupted on Daryl Drive. A pet cat inside died from smoke inhalation in the blaze.

As well as the cat who expired, there were two dogs inside, one who wasn’t exposed to much smoke and the other who had to be rescued from the burning house barely alive.

Firefighters brought the dog out of the home and while one firefighter, Barry Haddley, gave the animal CPR, Shoemaker administered oxygen until the dog began responding.

The canine was placed in Shoemaker’s sheriff’s patrol car and brought to a local veterinarian in Chalmette, where he received fluids and medication and was taken to an animal hospital in Jefferson Parish for further treatment and was held overnight and released to the owner.

Shoemaker, who also serves as paramedic on the sheriff’s SWAT team, said in receiving the award, “It’s always great to be recognized for something you’ve done. I live here and we’re all vested in this community. All of us want to do what’s good for this community.”

“The Kiwanis Club didn’t envision this award as necessarily being for life-saving heroics, but as an award in recognition of the everyday heroic efforts of our deputies and firefighters in St. Bernard Parish,’’ Catalanotto said at the evening meeting. “They are the first ones in the door, or the first ones on the scene, always willing to put their lives on the line so that St. Bernard continues to be safe.’’

Attending the ceremony for the St. Bernard Sheriff Office were Sheriff James Pohlmann, Col. John Doran, head of enforcement operations; Shoemaker’s commander Maj. Adolph Kreger and Lt. Robert Broadhead.

Sheriff Pohlmann told Kiwanis members he first met Shoemaker when he was a paramedic in the parish working for Acadian Ambulance Service and respected the job he did. The sheriff said Shoemaker decided he wanted to be a sheriff’s deputy with the proviso he would keep up his paramedic training to provide that service as well.

“He brings a lot to the table and our community is fortunate to have Byron on our department,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said.

St. Bernard Parish businesses contributing gift certificates as part of the Life-Saver Award include Rocky & Carlo’s Restaurant, MeMe’s Bar and Grille, Exxon Mobil, Sweet Water Guide Service, Café Roma and Smoothie King.