Toledo police officers recognized for life-saving actions

Toledo police officers Michael Futrell and John Gruenberg were awarded with the Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame's Young Officer Award for helping to save a mother and her three children from a fatal apartment fire at the Woodlands Apartment building in January.

Two Toledo police officers were recognized Thursday by the Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame for helping to save a mother and her three children from a burning apartment complex. 

Officers Michael Furtrell and Jon Gruenberg were awarded the Young Officer Award. They arrived to the Jan. 15 fire at Woodlands Apartment building before firefighters and saw the mother and her children trapped on a third floor balcony. 

The officers caught the children as the mother dropped them to safety, and then Officer Furtrell helped catch the mother. They were all able to escape the flames. 

Four others died that day. 

The Lucas County Coroner’s Office said Sharell Crisp, 28, Antoinette Brown, 31, Ahmard Brown, 5, and Richard Fair, 46, died in the fire building at 2403 Cheyenne Blvd., south of the former Southwyck Shopping Center site. 

Other area officers were recognized during Thursday’s ceremony. They include: Retired Chief of Port Clinton Police Department Thomas Blohm, Distinguished Service Award; Perrysburg Township Police Department Officer Joe Ball, Career Achievement Award; Rossford Police Department Officer Jodi Johnson, Career Achievement Award; Retired Chief of Troy Township Police Department Stephen Levorchick, Lifetime Achievement Award.