Davenport City Council on Wednesday honored Behning and Captain Todd Whitchelo for being awarded police officer and firefighter of the year, respectively, by the Davenport American Legion Post 26.
Whitchelo was recognized for coming to the aid of a climber who who was seriously injured in a 30-foot fall. Whitchelo and his wife were walking in a local state park, when they came across the young man who had fallen from off the rock cliff. He and his wife administered first aid. Whitchelo notified emergency medical crews of the situation and called for a helicopter to airlift the man to Iowa City, where he received treatment and made a full recovery.
"It's been a privilege to work for the Davenport Fire Department for nearly 30 years, and I can't imagine ever doing anything else," Whitchelo said. "It's just a real honor, but I didn't do anything that any other firefighter, paramedic, police officer, first responder in the nation would do."