Lake County Gazette

Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor lauded the members of the city’s police and fire departments in the wake of a recent search and rescue effort. 

“Our police and fire departments work very, very hard in this city,” Taylor said during the meeting. “And many of you know them personally. Many of you meet with them in the community." 

During the Sept. 6 Waukegan City Councill meeting streamed on YouTube, officials noted that a woman was reported missing near the Waukegan Harbor last month and her family turned to Officer Leonard Walker for help. According to city officials, Walker started a search for the woman – who had been missing for a day – on land, and he enlisted the help of city firefighters to extend the search to the water. 

Ultimately, the woman was found clinging to the underside of the pier at the harbor, officials noted during the meeting, adding that her body temperature had dropped to 87 degrees. The woman survived thanks to the efforts of the city’s safety forces, led by Walker, according to the meeting stream.

“Were it not for the quick thinking of Officer Walker and the Waukegan Fire Department, and the unrelenting search efforts, we may be talking about a tragedy rather than a miracle,” Taylor said. 

During the meeting, the city honored Walker with an award for his actions though he was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, Taylor noted during the meeting. The firefighters who helped rescue the woman were recognized by the fire chief, mayor and council, according to the report.