Right place, right time seems too simple an explanation, but La Habra Cpl. Victor Rubalcava insists it’s the only one. In his 21-year career with the La Habra PD, he has been honored with the lifesaving medal six times — the most in department history. He most recently was recognized in June at the LHPD’s annual awards ceremony for his role in saving a man who crashed his bicycle after suffering a heart attack. Rubalcava doesn’t keep track of his awards, quickly pointing out that every year he received the gold medallion hanging from the red and white ribbon, he was standing next to at least one of his colleagues. Lifesaving is a team effort, he said. “There are a lot of people here who have saved lives,” he said. “This is a great place to work full of great people who really care about their community.” It took some pressing for him to recount the number of lifesaving awards he has received and the circumstances around them, along with when, exactly, he was named officer of the year — an honor he has received twice. “We’re not here for awards or accolades,” he said. “We just have a job to do.” Rubalcava, one of nine children, worked in his family’s iron business from a very young age before becoming a cop more than 20 years ago. He served with Santa Ana PD for more than a year before transferring to La Habra PD in 1995. With La Habra, Rubalcava worked the gang unit for six years and also served a year on the North County Tri Agency Resource/Gang Enforcement Team (TARGET). He was then assigned to the Meth Lab Task Force in 2006 before being promoted to corporal and heading back to patrol. A year later, he got his first save. Rubalcava, in July 2007, received the lifesaving medal after performing the Heimlich on a man choking on a piece of meat at a restaurant in the 2600 block of La Habra Boulevard. “The guy was 6’2”, 260, and all muscle,” he said. “I remember I didn’t know if I was making any progress.”