CLEVELAND HONORS UPS WORKER FOR SAVING OFFICER’S LIFE
Labor Desk
January 03, 2006
Teamsters Local 407 Member Receives Award From City’s Police
Steve Phillips, a 10-year UPS Teamster, was recently honored by the Cleveland Police Department for saving the lives of an officer and his daughter during a fire in October 2003.
Phillips, a feeder driver at the UPS center in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, received the police department’s Citizen Award Pin earlier this fall.
On October 17, 2003, Phillips was driving to work around 2:45 a.m. when he saw smoke and fire coming from a home on Warren Road in Cleveland. Phillips quickly stopped and exited his car. He approached the home and knocked on the door until he was able to wake the owner. The owner, Cleveland police officer Ralph Torres, and his 17-year-old daughter, were able to exit safely along with their three dogs and two cats.
According to the award, “Mr. Phillips’ quick action and willingness to get involved most likely saved the lives of Officer Torres and his family. For furthering the cause of law enforcement in the City of Cleveland, it is an honor to bestow upon you, Mr. Steve Phillips, the Citizen Award Pin.”
Phillips, a member of Local 407 in Cleveland, said he mistakenly took Warren Road to work that early morning, which added a couple miles to his drive. Going a little too fast, he slowed down to the posted 25 mph speed limit when he sensed that a police officer was possibly nearby with a radar gun. Slowing down allowed him to notice lights flickering inside a house that he was passing.
If I was going faster, I may have missed it,” Phillips said. “There was no police officer with a radar gun, but it turned out to be a police officer’s home that was on fire.”
You don’t really have time to think about it. You just want to do the right thing by making sure everyone got out,” Phillips said.
Everyone here at Local 407 is proud of Steve’s actions. He is an asset to the local,” said Frank Burdell, President of Local 407.
Steve Phillips, a 10-year UPS Teamster, was recently honored by the Cleveland Police Department for saving the lives of an officer and his daughter during a fire in October 2003.
Phillips, a feeder driver at the UPS center in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, received the police department’s Citizen Award Pin earlier this fall.
On October 17, 2003, Phillips was driving to work around 2:45 a.m. when he saw smoke and fire coming from a home on Warren Road in Cleveland. Phillips quickly stopped and exited his car. He approached the home and knocked on the door until he was able to wake the owner. The owner, Cleveland police officer Ralph Torres, and his 17-year-old daughter, were able to exit safely along with their three dogs and two cats.
According to the award, “Mr. Phillips’ quick action and willingness to get involved most likely saved the lives of Officer Torres and his family. For furthering the cause of law enforcement in the City of Cleveland, it is an honor to bestow upon you, Mr. Steve Phillips, the Citizen Award Pin.”
Phillips, a member of Local 407 in Cleveland, said he mistakenly took Warren Road to work that early morning, which added a couple miles to his drive. Going a little too fast, he slowed down to the posted 25 mph speed limit when he sensed that a police officer was possibly nearby with a radar gun. Slowing down allowed him to notice lights flickering inside a house that he was passing.
If I was going faster, I may have missed it,” Phillips said. “There was no police officer with a radar gun, but it turned out to be a police officer’s home that was on fire.”
You don’t really have time to think about it. You just want to do the right thing by making sure everyone got out,” Phillips said.
Everyone here at Local 407 is proud of Steve’s actions. He is an asset to the local,” said Frank Burdell, President of Local 407.
Print
Email
