Harvard first responders credited with saving life of man who was stabbed

Members of the Harvard Fire Protection District and Harvard Police Department were honored Thursday night for saving the life of a man stabbed on New Year’s Day.

Harvard officers and paramedics responded to the 200 block of South Jefferson Street at 1:24 a.m. Jan. 1 after a 911 hang-up reporting a person was possibly bleeding, Harvard police said. Officers arrived to find a 25-year-old man with a severe stab wound to the leg.

A police officer gave first aid to the man before paramedics arrived at the scene, according to a news release from the police department. The man was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.

The police officers and paramedics who responded to the scene were honored by the Mercy EMS System on Thursday for providing lifesaving care, according to a news release from the fire district. Doctors from Mercy EMS said the man’s injuries likely would have been fatal without the care from first responders.

Police said they are continuing to investigate the incident, and no arrests have been made.

Honored for their efforts Thursday were Sydney Thompson, Steve Harter and Dan Barnett from the fire district and patrol officers Trent Tobias and Jacqulyn DeMink from the police department.