Decatur County REMC Journeyman Lineman Brian AmRhein was awarded the Distinguished Service to Safety Award from Indiana Electric Cooperatives for his extraordinary actions and dedication to safety. AmRhein, a U.S. Army veteran and 15-year employee of Decatur County REMC was recognized for two instances when he went out of his way to help others. 

The first outstanding act was during a quick lunch break at Pizza King in Greensburg. While dining, AmRhein noticed a man choking and jumped to action to assist. While 911 was being dispatched, AmRhein performed the Heimlich maneuver on the victim. When this attempt was unsuccessful, AmRhein took another approach and was able to successfully dislodge the food from the victim’s throat, allowing him to breath on his own again. 

A few months later, on a trip home from visiting family, AmRhein and wife Brandi witnessed a head-on collision on North Michigan Road. While his wife called 911, AmRhein again jumped into action, calling on his safety training to assist. After accessing the situation, he found a victim entrapped in one of the vehicles, needing serious medical attention. AmRhein forced open the passenger door of the vehicle, prepared to remove the victim from the vehicle in fear it was going to catch fire. Luckily AmRhein was able to keep the victim stable, alert and held her hand to help calm her until first responder units arrived. 

AmRhein is a humble servant in everything he does. He does not consider his actions extraordinary or heroic. In fact, when presented with the award, AmRhein stated, “I was just doing what any other person would do in a similar situation.” 

“Our cooperative, our members and our community benefit from Brian’s dedication to safety and service. We are proud of him for his efforts and this outstanding accomplishment and feel grateful to have him on our team,” said DCREMC CEO Brett Abplanalp.