Lake Oswego senior recounts being rescued by police, fire during the storm

Lake Oswego resident Jerry Ghiglieri was in a rough spot during the wind and ice storm.

While driving home from an emergency trip to the hospital after feeling weak due to low red blood cell counts in the middle of the night Jan. 17, Ghiglieri’s car skidded against the ice along E Avenue before stabilizing against a curb. To make matters worse, she tried to get out but hit a slick patch and fell to the ground. She couldn’t get up and cried “mayday” for help.

“I don’t think I was scared. I was just concerned about hypothermia,” she said.

Though she was on the ground for about an hour, first responders in the Lake Oswego area came to her rescue, picking her up and taking her to her apartment at The Oswegan. Ghiglieri commented on how kind, professional and helpful the local police and fire personnel were.

“They picked me up like a feather, put cleats on my boots, walked me inside the building to the door of my apartment,” she said. “They couldn’t have been nicer; they were very helpful and really were the cavalry. Thank goodness I wasn’t hurt; I was just really sore.”

She added: “Living in Lake Oswego knowing we have professionalism with our fire and police is in my opinion pretty extraordinary.”