Operating engineers receive Coast Guard award for heroic rescue in Detroit River, saving boaters’ lives

HOWELL, Michigan – Two Michigan operating engineers working on the Gordie Howe International Bridge are being called heroes by the U.S. Coast Guard. For pulling four boaters from dangerous waters in the Detroit River, Operating Engineers 324 members Mike Isble and Dan Dombrow have been recognized with the Coast Guard’s “Captain David P. Dobbins Award” for excellence in search and rescue.

“We are truly proud of Mike and Dan, and their rapid response and courage helped save lives,” said OE324 Business Manager Douglas Stockwell. “At Operating Engineers 324, we strongly believe in safety first at all times and we work tirelessly to make sure that the work site and the environment around us are safe for everyone. Operating engineers are trained to react quickly when we see something isn’t right or when we see people in trouble, and Dan and Mike’s quick action is in our DNA.”

In November 2023, Isble and Dombrow were working on the U.S. side of the bridge and their duties that day included operating a boat to provide support for workers near the water. Weather conditions were rough, with choppy waters and waves up to five feet, when Isble and Dombrow saw a boat near the bridge suddenly capsize, throwing four people into the water. From security camera footage, Isble and Dombrow responded within four seconds, reaching the people in the water within minutes. They quickly plucked the four anglers from waters that were below 50 degrees. The National Weather Service warns that water at that temperature can be deadly because of cold shock, which causes drastic changes in blood pressure and breathing and loss of muscle control, increasing the risk of drowning.

Isble, a Port Sanilac resident, is also a boat captain. He has been an OE324 member for 24 years. Dombrow is a Monroe resident and a 19-year OE324 member.

“At the Gordie Howe International Bridge, all of us working on the project put a laser focus every day on safety and we are truly grateful that Mike and Dan jumped into action to save lives that day,” said Bridging North America Project Manager Jose Luis Mendez. “Mike and Dan represent the culture of safety we have at the Gordie Howe International Bridge.”

Isble and Dombrow were presented with the Dobbins Award at a ceremony that also included Capt. Richard P. Armstrong, U.S. Coast Guard Commander, Sector Detroit; Bridging North America CEO David Henderson; BNA/Dragado Security Operations Lead Hunter Kersey; and others. Bridging North America is the public-private consortium overseeing the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

Capt. Richard P. Armstrong, Commander, Sector Detroit, said: “The U.S. Coast Guard is grateful for the support and courage displayed by these two gentlemen and the support of our partners in local communities who help us keep our waterways safe. Thank you to Mike Isble and Dan Dombrow for their action, which saved lives and displayed true heroism.”