On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) and the City of Gardena honored LACoFD Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member, 17-year-old Matthew Groveunder, for utilizing his CERT life-saving skills during an ATV incident last year.
LACoFD Assistant Fire Chief Brian Bennett joined Gardena Mayor Tasha Cerda and the Gardena City Council to present Matthew with a Certificate of Commendation for his bravery and heroism at Gardena’s City Council meeting.
Matthew was out riding ATVs with his family in Bloomington, Indiana on July 10, 2022. Suddenly, his mother, Tracy Nelson, crashed into a log, resulting in a major laceration.
He quickly used his shirt to create a tourniquet to help stop the bleed while he rode his ATV to an area with cell service.
Matthew then applied direct pressure until paramedics arrived and transported Tracy to a local hospital.
“Thank you for having me here today,” said Matthew with tears in his eyes. “If it was not for my CERT instructors, I don’t think my mom would be here.”
The LACoFD is proud to recognize a few of Matthew’s CERT instructors, including Fire Captain Chiyoshi Hasegawa as well as Medium Truck Drivers Anthony Dixon, Elliot Hoffman, and Luis Gonzales.
