SANDPOINT — Acting Bonner County Road & Bridge Director Jason Topp found himself doing more than clearing downed trees that fell across roadways when Friday’s winter storm pummeled the area.

“It started with a life-saving callout that we were fortunately equipped to handle as a 30-inch diameter tree fell through a mobile home smashing an 11 year-old boy to the floor of the home, pinning him with the tree laying across his abdomen,” Topp said during the commission’s business meeting on Tuesday.

Topp, who was asked by the board to recount the rescue, said he used the county’s John Deere front-end loader to lift the 30-inch diameter tree off the boy with the help of Sagle resident John Greenwood, in addition to a team of first responders.

The boy was taken to Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene.

“I spoke with an officer the next day and he said he was in serious but stable condition. He stated that the boy may not have lived had we not been there to help,” said Topp.

Bonner County Commissioner Dan McDonald hailed Topp as a “local hero.”

“That call that you made to me sent chills down my spine,” Commissioner Jeff Connolly said. “You had to make a call that might put you in trouble but you did the right thing by getting out there and getting it done. It still sends chills down my spine right now.”

Commissioner Steve Bradshaw praised Topp for a job well done.

Topp, a District 1 foreman who’s filling in for a vacationing Road & Bridge Director Steve Klatt, said the rescue was start of a very long day.

“We started clearing trees that were blocking roads and the trees were coming down just as fast as we were clearing them. This went on into the night,” he said.

Topp said utility crews also had a rough go during the storm.

“As the power company was trying to put all this back together, lines were literally being ripped out of their hands by other trees that were falling,” said Topp.

Topp passed the praise to Bonner Dispatch.

“I want to give a shout-out to our dispatch because they had their hands full with the calls that were coming in,” said Topp.

Blanchard resident Doug Paterson cheered all disciplines of public safety officers during the storm.

“The emergency response folks have been amazing,” said Paterson.

McDonald said the storm underscored the neighborliness of Bonner County. Officials were establishing a warming shelter for people dependent on electric heating, but there were few takers because everybody hunkered down with their neighbors.

“It’s a testament too to the people of Bonner County,” said McDonald.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.