Council recognizes life-saving emergency responses and names Rita Sabah 2024 Diane Parker community champion

Flat Rock City Council presented life-saving awards to several emergency responders for two separate resuscitation incidents that occurred in October 2024 and honored Rita Sabah with the 2024 Diane Parker community champion award.

The mayor and council recognized a group of police, fire and dispatch personnel for actions on Oct. 7, 2024, that included bystander CPR and advanced life support treatment. Among those acknowledged were Sergeant Wilczynski (Flat Rock Police Department), personnel from the Flat Rock Fire Department (including FD Cruz and multiple firefighters), and a bystander identified as retired Chief Jerry Page; the combined response and on-scene advanced life support were credited with restoring a patient’s circulation.

Council also recognized a second October incident (Oct. 23, 2024) involving dispatcher Steve Littleton, Sergeant Scott Beggs and Sergeant Arnold Denson; council noted the crew deployed a Lucas device and achieved a successful resuscitation after multiple resuscitation attempts.

Council then presented the Diane Parker community champion award to Rita Sabah, owner of MD First Urgent Care, and praised her community involvement since opening the clinic in November 2021. Speakers noted Sabah’s work with the Flat Rock Rotary and downtown development activities; her husband, Joshua, accepted the award and told the council, “Just thank you. This is a huge honor. I really don't know what to say. We are truly blessed to be here.”

Ending: The council used the recognitions to highlight community service and emergency-response coordination between dispatch, police and fire departments.