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2 Aurora Police Officers, 4 Boys Honored For Raft Rescue

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Two off-duty Aurora cops and four boys were honored for their actions. (Credit: Steve Miller)

AURORA, Ill. (CBS) --Two Aurora police sergeants and four young men were honored today for their lifesaving work on the Vermilion River near Oglesby on June 28.

2 Aurora Police Officers, 4 Boys Honored For Raft Rescue

Two Aurora police sergeants and four young men were honored today for their lifesaving work on the Vermilion River near Oglesby on June 28.

First, a man and his 10-year-old son who were rafting got caught near a dam.

Four young men, 11 to 14 years old, who were also rafting saw the father and son in trouble and tried to help.

They were able to get the 10-year-old in their raft.

As they did that, the father was able to get to shore. But the boys and the 10-year-old were now trapped in the dam themselves.

Two off-duty Aurora police officers came along in their kayak and went into action.

And one of them, Sergeant Dan Eppard - because he had saved a life at that very dam four years ago - was prepared with something he did not have that day in 2009.

"At that time I didn't have a throw rope. From that point on, I purchased a throw rope and promised myself to always keep it in my boat. I'd actually practiced with it at home a couple of times to make sure I knew how to throw it. It just seemed like the common sense thing to do."

Everybody got out safely - and today in Aurora, the police and the Illinois Conservation Police gave commendations to the two officers and to the four boys.

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