State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, presents retired public health nurse Carol Thornton of Iron Mountain with the Hometown Health Hero Award. Thornton received the honor for her dedication to create and lead the local Child Death Review team. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — A retired local nurse has been recognized for her dedication to public health in the community.

Carol Thornton of Iron Mountain received the Hometown Health Hero Award, given during Michigan Public Health Week in a partnership that includes Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The award has been presented each year since 2004 to individuals and/or organizations that have made significant and measurable contributions to preserve and improve their community’s health. Recipients are selected solely from nominations.

Thornton served as a public health nurse for 50-plus year. She retired in 2003 from the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department and, before that, from the city of Milwaukee Health Department.

After retiring from the DIDHD, Thornton volunteered to create and lead a Child Death Review — CDR — team to cover Iron and Dickinson counties. This team aims to create activities and initiatives that can prevent future child deaths. CDR teams are not required in Michigan but help facilitate the review process for locations served.

Thorton was also involved with the CDR in Milwaukee.

“One thing about CDR is not to place blame,” she said. “The most important thing is to look to see if something could be prevented.”

Thornton and her team work to help educate about teen suicide, safe infant sleeping and safe sledding, as well as provide information on how to choose a safe vehicle for teens and how to keep the vehicle properly maintained.

“We even worked with the Florence Health Department to create a brochure for teen drivers,” Thornton said.

Thornton stressed that she has a really great team. “It takes a lot of people — between law enforcement, the hospital, department of health and human services, health department, court, and mental health,” she said, adding, “couldn’t ask for any better individuals — they have been on the team a long time.”

Thornton also noted she looks forward to having more discussions with Dickinson County Emergency Services Director Pete Schlitt, who is now the medical investigator. “It’s a really good thing to have now here,” she said.

Thornton was nominated by Heidi Hilliard of the Michigan Public Health Institute, and the state consultant for the local CDR. Thornton has worked with Hilliard for almost 20 years.

Her nomination states: “Thornton’s dedication to health and safety aimed at preventing death has been incredibly beneficial for her community.”

“I was shocked,” Thornton said about the nomination. “It is a very nice thing to receive after all these years.”

State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, accepted the award in her honor in April, as Thornton was unable to attend the event ceremony in the Heritage Hall Atrium in the Capitol in Lansing.

“I have known Carol for a few years and know she is very dedicated and committed to our area,” McBroom said. “To have her willingness to do this study and work to find this important information is great.”

He added, “It’s wonderful the state is recognizing that.”

Thorton and her husband, Ed, have three children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.