“Doesn’t matter if it’s after a fire or a flood or whatever; when I’m talking to somebody, it’s usually because they’re having a pretty bad day,” said Jeff, State Farm^® claims adjuster.

“Pretty bad” turned out to be an understatement during a call last year. Jeff was in the middle of a virtual inspection. A customer’s roof leaked which caused some pretty significant damage to their West Virginia home. Using an app downloaded to the customer’s smart phone, Jeff was looking at pictures of the damaged area.

“We’re doing more and more of these types of inspections,” Jeff said. “It makes it easier for the customers to send in their info so we can process their claim, get them their money and help them recover quicker.”

Jeff was in the middle of the inspection when all of a sudden, he heard a loud crash. The customer had fallen down a flight of stairs, shattering her ankle.

“She’d dropped her phone and couldn’t reach it, but I could hear her yelling and screaming for help.”

Unfortunately, the only help available was Jeff, and he was hundreds of miles away at the other side of the state. “I didn’t really know what to do, but I knew I had to do something.”

“I kept yelling until I finally got her attention,” Jeff said. “I was trying to keep her calm and trying to keep her conscious.”

She couldn’t reach the phone to dial 911, so Jeff grabbed another phone and dialed for help.

After he got them on the line, Jeff acted as a go-between.

“They were asking things like ‘How far did she fall’ and ‘Can she move’ and ‘Is there any blood?” I kept relaying their questions and giving them her answers.”

When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics picked up the phone that was lying next to the customer on the ground, expecting to hear 911 on the other end.

“I told them, “No, I’m with State Farm; I’m her insurance adjustor.”

The customer was rushed to the hospital and once she arrived, one of the first things she did was write Jeff a heart-felt thank-you note:

Thank you so much for your help with calling 911 and staying on the phone. I dislocated my ankle and shattered many bones, I will need surgery. You were my angel 😇😇. You deserve an award for listening to me scream and crying.

“What an incredible Good Neighbor story this is,” said Jeff’s manager, Bill Lingenfelter. “We’re in the relationship and helping others-business, and this is what it’s all about!”

September 11, 2001 turned life upside down for all Americans. It definitely did for Annie Nicole Nelson's family. Anne was in one of the World Trade Center towers and lost her life. She was the only person from North Dakota to die in the 9-11 attacks.

Through the heartache, Annie's family was still able to find a purpose. As they were going through her things, they found her laptop. They came across a bucket list she'd created. As a young woman, she saw the importance of enjoying life to its fullest.

One thing listed within her bucket list was she wanted to build a home in North Dakota. Her bucket list made its way to foundations and people who were here to help her dream become a reality.

Several groups of good neighbors came together to fulfil this wish. They also added a special component connecting to her family life growing up. Anne’s mother was a special education teacher, and Annie loved working with special needs kids. Anne’s dad taught ski lessons for 50 years.

The end result was a group transforming a ski park at Turtle Mountain in western North Dakota into a place wounded warriors and people with disabilities could enjoy.

State Farm® Agent Bryan Schweitzer and his wife, Heidi, were part of the group wanting to help. Bryan knew Annie’s family and volunteered to fix up the lodge.

"More than 400 people showed up the first day and came back for the next five to seven days to support the effort,” shared Bryan.” It was great to see the community come together."

The ski park, now called Annie's House, is a 12,000 square foot facility with fishing ponds and hiking trails. The park is adaptive for people with special needs, and has a trained staff ready to help. Scholarships are available to help with travel and other costs.

Bryan and Heidi continue to help the lodge in various ways. Bryan volunteers at least 40 hours a year at the lodge. State Farm donates $500 to the organization because of Bryan’s volunteer hours. The couple attends various fundraising events and allows the lodge to use their ATVs and side by sides.

Bryan also spends a lot of time raising money for the program and helped set up the fishing program at the park. He also is very involved with the Race Club.

With continued support, more and more people are able to enjoy it each year. Visitors and volunteers wrote messages within the rafters of the lodge to keep inspiring people who visit.

The simple messages remind visitors to live and plan for the lives they envision. Volunteer for a charity, be a better friend, learn to knit a sweater. These were some of the other items on Annie's bucket list.

While on a delivery to a local business, George Berkeley, owner of a local UPS Store, needed to walk across the street. As he looked left for the traffic flow, an illegally parked car on his right backed up and ran over him.

Fortunately, the South Orange Rescue Squad was in the right place at the right time. The members of the rescue squad quickly sprang into action, getting the car off George and transporting him to the hospital in record time. George’s injuries were not life threatening, and he continues to praise the Squad for their prompt and professional service.

It is dedication like this that helped the South Orange Rescue Squad gain support of the local community. This support would became critical as the Rescue Squad would soon need saving.

Rescue Squad sends out a 911

Like many volunteer departments around the country the South Orange squad struggled to stay afloat in a time when private ambulance companies were on the rise. Their headquarters was in jeopardy of being displaced when a developer purchased the building where they were located. Through negotiation, the developer agreed to donate land elsewhere for the rescue squad, but they would need to build a new headquarters.

Catherine* became an advocate for the squad after they saved her husband. When her husband went into sudden cardiac arrest, Catherine immediately called 911. With their usual fast response, the squad arrived before the police and were instrumental in saving the life of this husband and father of two. The family was so thankful and they told friends and family about the great work of the squad. Soon, funds started rolling in. The Squad also entered the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant program.

Catherine shared information with local media outlets and anyone who would listen. Her efforts helped them gain great community support and they won one of the $25,000 grants.

Realizing anyone can experience an emergency like her family, Catherine is working with the squad to make sure the community has access to first aid and CPR classes. The classes will be held at their new facility, in a special training room that was made possible in part by the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant.

The new headquarters is being built and is expected to open December 2015.

“The renewed support from the community and our new facility will help us start a new chapter at the Rescue Squad.” Melanie Troncone, President of the squad said, “It showed us that our hard work and dedication is appreciated by more people than we imagined.”

Local legislators, Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey and Assemblyman John F. McKeon all rallied to support the squad. McKeon shared, “They serve an important purpose in our community by ensuring our neighbors receive crucial emergency medical aid, free of charge.”

Once the new headquarters is open, it will be dedicated in memory of Mary Connor, matriarch of the South Orange Rescue Squad. After joining the Rescue Squad in 1969 Mary dedicated more than 40 years of her life in service to the Rescue Squad and the community. Mary also served as President of the Squad for many years.

Another way the Squad is making sure the community will always have supportive services is through their Cadet program. The program is run through the local high school and instructed by members of the Rescue Squad. Students take classes in first aid and safety and then volunteer on evenings and weekends to cover shifts with the squad.

Working alongside certified emergency medical technicians, allows the cadets a hands-on experience and sets them on a path of helping others recover from the unexpected.

Squad Captain Dan Cohen said “Being displaced caused the community to think that we were no longer around. But the support we received through our fundraising campaign helped get us back in the public eye. Now they know we are here…just like a good neighbor.”

*Catherine is an alias

South Orange Rescue Squad STATS