What Honor Looks Like

[waltky]

Bravery in the line of duty...

Trooper Rescues Driver From Burning Vehicle
August 23, 2016 - With the help of two others, Connecticut State Trooper Thomas Karanda was able to pull a man from a fiery wreck Tuesday morning.

David Bartlett, 58, of Glenwood Drive, was heading east on Route 72 when he lost control, hitting the guardrail and a bridge support column about 10 a.m., state police said. The car, a Pontiac Grand Prix, burst into flames with Bartlett trapped inside, state police said.

With the help of two others, Trooper Thomas Karanda was able to pull a local man out from a burning car Tuesday morning

Trooper Thomas Karanda was working at a nearby highway construction project and responded. He smashed the driver's window to get access to Bartlett.

With the help of a construction worker and passing motorist, Karanda was able to pull Bartlett from vehicle, state police said. Bartlett was taken by ambulance to Hartford Hospital for evaluation, state police said. Trooper Karanda and the other rescuers were uninjured.

http://www.officer.com/news/12248865...om-burning-car

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N.J. Officer Catches Baby Dropped From Fire
August 23, 2016 - Sayreville Police Officer Brian Gay caught a 1-month old baby boy dropped from a fire and helped others escape the burning home Monday afternoon.

Officer Brian Gay was the first to respond to the residence at 11 Jacobsen Street around 2 p.m. when a young girl outside who had escaped told him that four more people were trapped on the second floor, according to NJ.com. He said he tried to enter the home through stairs on the exterior of the home, but the top was engulfed in flames. With the help of neighbor Daniel Hockenjos and Sayreville Fire Department First Assistant Chief George Gawron, Gay helped the remaining occupants exit the home through a window.

Sayreville Police Officer Brian Gay caught a 1-month old baby boy dropped from a fire and helped others escape the burning home Monday afternoon.

The officer broke the fall of a girl who jumped and then caught another. Gay stood ready as the 1-month-old boy was dropped to him in a carrier seat. A ladder was against the house and the woman exited the window and fell down the ladder before she was brought to the ground by Gay and Gowron. None of the occupants suffered any serious injuries and were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick as a precaution.

Sayreville Police Capt. Glenn Skarzynski said the brave efforts of Gay is a "testament to our department and departments around the nation who perform selfless acts like this every day." The 13-year veteran of the force said it was one of the most daring acts he's performed as an officer. "I'm a little shaken up, but I'll be alright," he told the newspaper. "I'm glad to see that they're okay."

http://www.officer.com/news/12248445...pped-from-fire

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Deputies Rescue Man Struck by Lightning
August 18, 2016 - Two Charlotte County Sheriff's deputies are being credited with saving the life of a man reportedly struck by lightning while jet skiing near Englewood.

Around 6:40 p.m. Sunday, the Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a 22-year-old man floating face down in gulf waters. Charlotte County Sheriff's spokesman Skip Conroy said deputy James Mills removed his duty belt and jumped in the water, "shoes and all," and swam to the man about 60 to 80 yards away. Mills dragged the man back to a floating dock where Deputy Seth Pelfry helped pull him from the water.

Deputy James Mills, left, and Deputy Seth Pelfry

Both deputies performed CPR on the man until emergency medical personnel arrived. They later discovered the victim was riding a jet ski in the gulf when a "violent thunderstorm" moved into the area, and he was hit by lightning. "Heroic is an understatement," Conroy said. "Take into the consideration the violent thunderstorm that came through; lightning and thunder at that point was pretty scary. For those guys (Mills and Pelfry) to do what they do is absolutely unbelievable. They both performed CPR on that man. He's alive today because of that. It's above and beyond."

The man was transported to an area hospital, where Conroy said he is recovering from his injuries.

http://www.officer.com/news/12246387...k-by-lightning

[waltky]

Yes, Virginia, there really are good cops in the world...

Troopers Care for Baby Found During Arrest
August 25, 2016 - Troopers B.R. Wood and D.C. Graham bathed the baby, who was discovered covered in vomit in the backseat of an alleged DUI driver's vehicle.

A baby discovered covered in vomit in the backseat of an alleged DUI driver's vehicle found a safe haven and compassionate caregivers at the West Virginia State Police Princeton detachment Tuesday evening. Around 5 p.m. Tuesday, Princeton troopers made a Driving Under the Influence arrest about a mile from their headquarters on Oakvale Road. "We made an arrest for DUI," said trooper B.R. Wood, with the Princeton detachment. "The 1-year-old baby boy was in the backseat covered in vomit. The vehicle was disabled, so we brought the baby boy back to the detachment."

Trooper D.C. Graham washed up the 1-year-old baby boy in the break room, wrapped him in a towel and held him until child protective services arrived.

Wood said Senior Trooper D.C. Graham gave the baby a bath in the sink of the detachment's break room/kitchenette, wrapped him in a towel, and then cradled him until Child Protective Service officials arrived. "He was the best little baby. He had just started to nod off when CPS (Child Protective Services) arrived," Wood said. Wood said the baby had been sick for some time. "Apparently, he had been under the weather for a bit." "The baby has now been placed with a legal guardian," Wood said "He is safe at this time and under the supervision of CPS."

Wood said the baby was in a car seat at the time of the traffic stop. Wood said the driver of the vehicle faces a charge of DUI with a minor, which carries a misdemeanor penalty of not less than two days or more than 12 months in jail, and a fine of not less than $200 or more than $1,000.

http://www.officer.com/news/12249946...ing-dui-arrest

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Officer Undergoes Surgery After Fire Rescue
August 25, 2016 - A Pittsburg officer who helped rescue a blind man from a burning house underwent surgery to repair serious injuries to his forearm Thursday morning.

The officer punched open a window with his bare hand after residents in the first block of West 11th Street told police that a man was inside a house consumed with smoke and flames Wednesday night. The 65-year-old inside suffered smoke inhalation but is expected to survive. Police have not identified either man. "This is definitely a reunion, down the road, that we'll love to have," Pittsburg police spokesman Capt. Ron Raman said. "It wasn't just this officer, either. There were several involved."

Police were the first ones to the fire, which began around 7:25 p.m. According to Raman, the officer who punched the glass did so to get inside. But the injury prevented it, and he began to kick in a nearby front door with other officers. It took several kicks to the door to get it open, Raman said. "The door opens and there's about two feet of crawl space underneath dark, really thick smoke," Raman said.

A Pittsburg police officer who helped rescue a blind man from a burning house underwent surgery Thursday morning to repair serious injuries to his forearm.

Another officer crawled through the front door and underneath the smoke until he felt the resident inside. Then that officer and three others -- including the injured one -- carried the man out of the house. He was unconscious and unresponsive initially, and officers struggled to find a pulse, Raman said. They began CPR, and eventually the man's pulse returned.

Fire crews gave the man oxygen, and an ambulance took him to the hospital. "It wasn't until the officers gave him a few breaths during the CPR that he finally came back," Raman said. "It did not look good at all when they pulled him from the house." Fire officials have not said what caused the fire, but it appeared to have started accidentally in the rear of the home, said Robert Marshall, a Fire Marshal and spokesman for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District. The fire caused about $202,000 to the house, and it was unclear whether it could be salvaged.

http://www.officer.com/news/12250082...er-fire-rescue

[waltky]

Single-handedly fought off al-Qaida fighters in an attempt to protect arriving reinforcements...

Air Force Seeks Medal of Honor for Sergeant Who Died in 2002
Aug 28, 2016 | The secretary of the Air Force is pushing to award a Medal of Honor to the first Connecticut native to die in the war in Afghanistan, based on new evidence 14 years after his death, the New York Times reported.

Air Force Sgt. John Chapman, 36, a standout athlete and 1983 graduate of Windsor Locks High School, was killed in combat after military action began in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He died on March 4, 2002, while attempting to retrieve the body of a Navy SEAL who had fallen from a helicopter during an attack by al Qaida and Taliban fighters, according to previous Courant reports. But new evidence unearthed by the Air Force about Chapman's final hours suggests that a senior chief petty officer may have been incorrect when he declared Chapman dead during the attack, the New York Times reported.

Instead, the Air Force said, Chapman lived for an hour after his teammates had retreated, fighting enemy troops alone, according to the newspaper report. New technology used in an examination of videos from aircraft flying overhead indicate that Chapman killed two Al Qaida fighters before "dying in an attempt to protect arriving reinforcements," the newspaper reported.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Chapman, who died in an attack by Al-Quaida and Taliban forces, is being considered for the Medal of Honor.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said on Saturday that, in the wake of the new information, he is looking forward to contacting the Secretary of Defense to help take the next step in awarding Chapman with the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award. "I support moving forward with the Medal of Honor for Sgt. Chapman because he unquestionably died a hero fighting for his country," Blumenthal said. "We may never know exactly what happened during the final hours of that fight but, undoubtedly, Sgt. Chapman died a hero."

Chapman joined the Air Force in 1985 and later became a combat controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, based at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina, where he lived with his wife, Valerie, and daughters, Madison and Brianna. Chapman had been credited with saving the rest of his team, and a memorial was built for him at an Air Force base in Alabama. He received a citation for the Air Force Cross, the second-highest honor for an airman.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2...ghanistan.html

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Green Beret Killed by IED Was on Patrol with Afghan Special Forces
Aug 26, 2016 | The Green Beret killed in Afghanistan was with Afghan special forces on a NATO advisory mission, a military spokesman said.

A Green Beret killed by an improvised explosive device Tuesday was patrolling with an Afghan special forces team moving on foot against the Taliban, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Kabul said Thursday. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson was on a NATO advisory mission on the outskirts of embattled Lashkar Gah. Thompson, 28, of Irvine, California, was assigned to Company "A," 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He was in an advisory role under NATO's Resolute Support mission, but his death came in what was described as combat.

In a video briefing from Kabul to the Pentagon, Army Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland referred to statements in May by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on how non-combat missions can quickly turn into combat in Afghanistan and elsewhere. "These are non-combat missions," Cleveland said, but Afghanistan is inherently dangerous and troops assigned forward as advisers can often "find themselves in combat situations." A second U.S. soldier was wounded by the IED blast that killed Thompson and six Afghans. "He's still here in Afghanistan, still receiving treatment. He is stable," Cleveland said of the wounded soldier, without describing his injuries further.

Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson, 28, of Irvine, California, died Aug. 23, 2016, of wounds received from an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

U.S. troops acting as advisers also moved forward with Afghan Ministry of Interior forces in response to the militant attack on the American University in Kabul on Wednesday that killed at least 16 and wounded dozens, Cleveland said. However, the U.S. advisers were not believed to have entered the campus where two gunmen shot bystanders after a suicide car attack on the front gate, he said. Cleveland disputed local and international media reports that the university attack and the threat to Lashkar Gah in southeastern Helmand province are only the latest incidents in a deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

Cleveland acknowledged that the Afghan National Defense Security Forces are taking casualties at a pace that exceeds that of 2015, when more than 20,000 were killed or wounded in what was the worst year for them since U.S. troops first entered Afghanistan in late 2001. "For many militaries, that would break their backs," Cleveland said of the Afghan casualty rate, but the Afghan forces continue to make progress despite the attack on the university, Taliban advances in Helmand and northern Kunduz, and the presence in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province of the ISIS offshoot called Islamic State-Khorasan province, he said. "Overall, we believe the ANDSF is performing better this year than last year. We believe generally they are on a positive trajectory," Cleveland said. "I don't want to sound like I'm understating the Taliban," Cleveland said, but "we don't believe the situation is as dire as portrayed in the press" in Helmand. "They have had some local successes. Overall, we do not believe Lashkar Gah is about to fall."

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[waltky]

Honoring the honorable...

Sports star Travis Rudolph joins autistic boy for lunch
Thu, 01 Sep 2016 - A Florida American Football star chose to eat lunch with a lonely autistic child, moving the boy's mother to tears.

The mother of an autistic child said she was moved to tears when a visiting American Football star joined her son, who was eating alone at school. Travis Rudolph, a wide receiver for Florida State, was visiting a school in Tallahassee on Tuesday when he saw Bo Paske sitting by himself. His mother, Leah, posted a photo to Facebook, where it quickly went viral. She said that since that day her son had had no problem finding people to have lunch with him. "This is one day I didn't have to worry if my sweet boy ate lunch alone," she said. "He sat across from someone who is a hero in many eyes. Travis Rudolph thank you so much, you made this momma exceedingly happy, and have made us fans for life!"

Travis Rudolph, the wide receiver for Florida State, eating lunch with Bo Paske

She also wrote about her memories of middle school being difficult, and how she worries about Bo. "Sometimes I'm grateful for his autism. That may sound like a terrible thing to say, but in some ways I think, I hope, it shields him. "He doesn't seem to notice when people stare at him when he flaps his hands. He doesn't seem to notice that he doesn't get invited to birthday parties anymore. And he doesn't seem to mind if he eats lunch alone." She said the small moment captured in the photo has had a "huge impact".

The small act of kindness was picked up by both local and national newspapers. Rudolph, one of several players visiting the school that day, said he wasn't expecting the huge reaction. "We just had a great conversation. He started off, telling me his name was Bo, telling me how much he loves Florida State. We went from there,'' said the West Palm Beach, Florida, native, now beginning his junior season. "I just wanted to go say hi to the kid, because I saw him eating alone. I didn't even know anybody took a photo of it,'' he said. "I'm glad it can bring awareness to helping others.'' "It was real easy... you'd never think anything was wrong with him. He had a nice smile on his face. Just a really warm person." Leah Paske says her son now has no shortage of lunch companions, and "everyone was super welcoming." Bo was also excited by all the attention. "It's been awesome. Everyone was so proud of me,'' he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-37243010

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Officer Honored for Saving Woman's Life
August 31, 2016 - Oxford Police Officer Andrew Miller on Tuesday stood before the Oxford City Council, Oxford residents and several fellow officers as Oxford police Chief Bill Partridge bestowed the city's Life Saving Commendation upon him for his quick.

On Aug. 10, Oxford police Officer Andrew Miller walked into roll call at 6 p.m., then was immediately sent to a home on Eden Place in the Knoxville community, he said Tuesday. "We were in the door and right back out the door," Miller said, turning over a clear plastic case in his hand, a red pin with a gold cross inside. "It came out as a basic shots-fired call. We didn't know what it was we were going into. On the way we got more information that people had actually been shot." When Miller arrived, he said, he discovered Sirita Spell on her front lawn, a gunshot wound in each leg. Miller pulled the tourniquet from his belt and another from a medical kit and put one each on Spell's legs just above the gunshot wounds, he said, a decision that ultimately allowed her to make it to UAB Hospital without dying of blood loss.

Miller on Tuesday stood before the Oxford City Council, Oxford residents and several fellow officers as Oxford police Chief Bill Partridge bestowed the city's Life Saving Commendation upon him for his quick thinking. It is the first time the award has been given to an Oxford officer in the nine years Partridge has been chief, he said by phone last week. A domestic dispute between Spell and her husband, Reginald Tyrone Spell, 41, led neighbors to call 911 that day, Oxford Capt. L.G. Owens said earlier this month. When Miller arrived at the home, Reginald Spell was dead, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the couple's daughter was nearby, said Ketrina Wright, Sirita Spell's older sister. Reginald Spell had shot his wife then fatally shot himself, Owens said.

Oxford Police Officer Andrew Miller on Tuesday stood before the Oxford City Council, Oxford residents and several fellow officers as Oxford police Chief Bill Partridge bestowed the city's Life Saving Commendation upon him for his quick.

Wright, who was at the award ceremony on behalf of her sister, said she felt blessed Miller was the one to respond. "If he wasn't there, she probably would have bled out at the scene, and her daughter was there so it just means so much to us," Wright said, wiping tears from her face. "Just happy to have someone like that to step up and take charge and save her." Wright said Spell has made improvements and is currently undergoing physical therapy. "We are just praying she will make a full recovery," she said.

Partridge said that this kind of incident and response happens every day. "Today we are able to honor an individual who doesn't look for accolades, just like the 99.9 percent of the other officers across america," the chief said. "This is the type of stuff that we need to let America know about, this is what we do every day. I always say quality police officers, quality training and quality equipment saves lives." Miller echoed Partridge's comments. "We don't go out looking for trouble," he said. "We're here to help people and that one event made all the other mess worth it. That's what we live for. That's the call we live for. Making a difference and someone gets to go home to their family because of that."

http://www.officer.com/news/12251870...ng-womans-life

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Medal of Honor Recipient Serenaded on 92nd Birthday
Sep 01, 2016 — A Medal of Honor recipient has celebrated his 92nd birthday with the help of 50 Navy petty officers who serenaded him outside his home.

The sailors sang "Happy Birthday" and "Anchors Aweigh" to former Navy combat pilot Capt. Thomas Hudner, then presented him with a birthday cake and shook his hand during the ceremony Wednesday at his home in Concord, Massachusetts.

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Thomas Hudner, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman, poses on the porch at his home in Concord, Mass.

Hudner did not speak, but he stood and saluted. His son, Thomas Hudner III, said his father was "humbled and moved" by the show of affection.

Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War after his plane came under enemy fire and he crash-landed in an unsuccessful effort to save the life of his wingman and friend, Ensign Jesse Brown, the Navy's first black combat pilot.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2...-birthday.html

[waltky]

Too young to be this sick...

Community honors firefighter battling cancer in a big way
Tuesday, September 13th 2016 - Highview Fire Maj. Kevin Bayens was inducted to the Fairdale High School Fire & EMS Academy as he battles cancer.

Tucked away inside the halls of Fairdale High School is the Fire & EMS Academy. It's the launchpad for teens interested in a life of service—the life of a first responders. "It exposes the kids to some of the work our emergency responders do and prepares them for careers in those fields," said Jefferey Birt, Fairdale High School Fire and EMS Academy instructor. The Fire and EMS Academy has been around for nearly two decades. During that time, countless teens have received their diplomas as well as real-world training. Many of them have gone on to be professional firefighters.

But one graduate of the program, in particular, has made his mark. "When you think of the fire service, you think of Kevin Bayens," said Jordan Yuodis, a fireman with the Buechel Fire Department. "His name is so big in the community." Added Highview Fire Chief Dave Goldsmith: "He's not just a firefighter. He's not just a major. He's not just our fire marshal. He's a family member." Bayens is the man his fellow firefighters can't stop raving about. "If there's anybody in the fire service these students should strive to be, it's Kevin," Yuodis said. Bayens graduated from the Fire & EMS Academy back in 1999. He jumped from the classroom to fighting fires with the Highview Fire Department right after getting his diploma.

Highview Fire Department Maj. Kevin Bayens was diagnosed with cancer last Thanksgiving.

He's risen to the rank of major of the Highview Fire Department. He was recently promoted to fire marshal, and has racked up several awards and saved countless lives along the way. Bayens also regularly volunteers to train the next wave of first responders; he comes back to the academy to teach eager high school students. By all accounts, he's a stand-up guy and a true hero in the community. But every story has a villain and this one has a familiar foe: cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer on Thanksgiving Day last year. Doctors warn his days are numbered. For the guys who know him, it's been a hard pill to swallow. But instead of getting down when they heard to news, his fellow firefighters got to action.

Yuodis organized a big surprise that hid behind a small banner, hung on the walls of the Fire & EMS Academy. "I knew at some point he wouldn't be around," Yuodis said. "I didn't want the students who are coming through this program now and future students to not know who Kevin was." That's when they decided to honor Bayens by inducting him into the Fire & EMS Academy Hall of Fame, but first they had to start one. After months of planning, Bayens was finally presented the honor in front of dozens of students, fellow firefighters, his chief, his family, and most importantly, his wife. "The reason we are here today is to induct Major Kevin Bayens of the Highview Fire Department into the Fire & EMS Academy Hall of Fame," Yuodis announced to a roar of applause.

With that, Bayens' name was etched into history. The look of shock, gratitude and amazement was visible on his face. "I had no clue ... kinda shocked," Bayens said. "I knew something was up when I saw my wife." His wife Hillary was in on the surprise. She said she's thankful for the community's support and that his legacy will now live on forever. "I want them to know Kevin's legacy - that he loved helping everyone," she said. "That's what the fire service is all about."

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[waltky]

The littlest superhero with the biggest heart...

Superheroes honor school shooting victim dressed as Batman
October 5, 2016 — Six-year-old Jacob Hall was dressed as Batman for his funeral on Wednesday, and many of more than 1,000 mourners appeared as superheroes to honor the school shooting victim. The first-grader's mother, choking back tears, wore a Robin costume.

Jacob's family had asked mourners to celebrate the boy's life by dressing as the superheroes he loved, and so they did. Captain Americas and Wonder Women filed past his small blue casket, along with Supermen and Supergirls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers. His teachers came in handmade blue capes with a Ninja Turtle face and Jacob's name. Jacob loved to pretend he was a superhero, imagining himself as the good guy, the Rev. David Blizzard recalled. He encouraged mourners to honor his wishes by forgiving the 14-year-old boy charged with killing him at Townville Elementary School. "Preacher, I know what Jacob would say to me," Blizzard said Jacob's mother, Renae Hall, told him. "He'd say, 'Mama, forgive that boy and love him like Jesus loves him because Jesus loves him.' That's exactly what Jacob would probably say."

Blizzard also referred to the nine people killed in last year's church shooting inside the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, reminding the crowd that their families forgave that shooter. "We have the same Jesus that Mother Emanuel had, and we can do the same thing if we choose to," Blizzard said, because "a superhero story is about good versus evil. The good always wins. We live in a dark world, but the good's going to win." Jacob died Saturday from a bullet that struck the main artery in his thigh. Authorities said the 14-year-old killed his own father, then drove to the school and sprayed gunfire. Jacob's classmate and a first-grade teacher also were struck by bullets, and were treated and released from a hospital. The teen faces charges of murder, attempted murder and weapons possession.

Starr Henderson, 12, of Belton, cries after seeing her nephew Jacob Hall during a wake service at Oakdale Baptist Church in Townville, S.C., Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2016. Jacob, a classmate and a teacher were shot last Wednesday as they left for recess. Authorities say the suspect, a 14-year-old boy, had shot his father to death before driving to Townville Elementary. The other student and teacher were treated and released from a hospital that day.

A capacity crowd of more than 500 squeezed into the church's sanctuary. Hundreds more watched live feeds in the gym and the youth building, and still others waited outside the Oakdale Baptist Church. A thousand programs were handed out before the funeral began. A 6-year-old friend from church, Lily Gunby, wore a pink and black Superman shirt. She said Jacob "was really sweet," and "knew a lot about Jesus." Lily's uncle Derek Gunby says Jacob was "the cutest thing ever" at Bible school.John Buckland drove his Batmobile from West Virginia to attend the funeral. Wearing full Batman garb, he gave the kids posters saying "Tough things make me stronger." "Keep an eye on each other. Care about each other, love each other. If someone's in trouble, reach out and give them the help they need, because Jacob would," Buckland said.

Students won't return to Townville Elementary until Thursday. But the district's other five schools planned to honor Jacob by participating in Superhero Day, with all employees and students invited to come to school in costume. A Facebook page created for Superhero Day said schools across the state planned to participate, but in central and coastal South Carolina, schools were closed in advance of Hurricane Matthew District Superintendent Joanne Avery also announced a moment of silence at 1:42 p.m. Wednesday, to mark one week since the shooting.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/...dressed-batman

[waltky]

Just in the nick of time...

Ark. Deputy Rescues Man From Fiery Wreck
October 10, 2016 - Pulaski County Deputy Sam Brandon pulled a man from a burning vehicle Sunday afternoon.

Deputy Sam Brandon spotted a white SUV drive off McCain Boulevard and into a North Little Rock Shell station around 4 p.m., according to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Officials said that the vehicle and a pool of gasoline surrounding it immediately went up in flames as the male driver inside sat unconscious. "I U-turned, and thankfully, there was a parking lot full of good Samaritans," Brandon told the newspaper.

Pulaski County Deputy Sam Brandon pulled a man from a burning vehicle Sunday afternoon.

The deputy parked his patrol car and ran to the burning vehicle, but the door wouldn't open. He then crawled through the window, cut off the man;s seat belt and attempted to pull him through a window, but was unsuccessful. As smoke filled the SUV, several of the people in the lot helped control the fire and assisted in the rescue. A tow truck arrived as Brandon struggled to remove the victim and, with the assistance to the tow truck driver, he hooked the tow truck to the door to break open the door.

The tactic worked and Brandon moved the man to safety before an ambulance transported him to a local hospital. The man's wife later told Brandon that her husband has a history of seizures, which could have caused the crash. Brand was quick to give credit to those who assisted in the rescue, saying that he's not a hero. "This wasn't a one-man job," he said.

http://www.officer.com/news/12267123...om-fiery-wreck

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Trooper Buys Meal for Couple in Need
October 6, 2016 - Trooper Sean Wallace asked the man to take a seat in his cruiser and went back inside the store and soon returned to the car with a chicken the man was panhandling to buy.

Saturday evening, a New Jersey State Police trooper was on patrol when he was called about a panhandler outside a food store in Hainesport Township. When Trooper Sean Wallace arrived about 9:30 p.m., the store manager expressed concern about the man outside who had been asking customers for money. Earlier in the day, the manager explained, he had asked the man to leave. A two-minute police video, posted on the state police Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NewJerseyStatePolice), tells the rest of the story:

"What's going on?" the trooper asks the unidentified man. The man says he needs money to buy a rotisserie chicken for him and his wife. "That's my only problem," he says. He and his wife had not eaten since using the last of their money for breakfast at Burger King, he adds. The trooper asks him to take a seat in his cruiser and then goes back inside the store. Soon, the trooper returns to the car with a chicken he purchased, telling the man, "C'mon, let's go."

Loitering and panhandling are not allowed, Wallace tells the man, urging him to go home with the food and warning him not to return to panhandle, or "It's going to be different, all right?" The man agrees, turning briefly toward police, "Thanks guys." The Facebook post notes that the trooper, with less than two years on the force, "handled this situation like a 20-year veteran with a heart of gold."

Trooper Wallace was not available for an interview Wednesday, and it was unclear whose camera captured his encounter with the man soliciting outside the food store. As of Wednesday afternoon, the video had been viewed more than 80,000 times and shared more than 700 times. The hundreds of comments on the post include these: "Love and support from one man to another" and "God bless that Trooper. He showed the core values of the New Jersey State Police which is Honor Duty and Fidelity."

http://www.officer.com/news/12266148...couple-in-need

[waltky]

Norton's Children's Hospital is the former Kosair Children's Hosp. - the premier pediatric hospital in this region... Off-Duty Trooper Helps Save Young Girl's Life November 18, 2016 - Kentucky State Police Trooper Josh Cummings was on his way home from a gym about 3 p.m. when he drove up on a one-vehicle accident Wednesday.

An off-duty Kentucky State Police trooper helped save the life of a 4-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon in Elizabethtown. Trooper Josh Cummings was on his way home from a gym about 3 p.m. when he drove up on a one-vehicle accident on the U.S. 31 West bypass, according to state police. Several people had already stopped to check on the people in the vehicle.

Kentucky State Police Trooper Josh Cummings was on his way home from a gym about 3 p.m. when he drove up on a one-vehicle accident Wednesday.

When Cummings stopped to help, he saw Mark Wood holding a 4-year-old girl who wasn't breathing, according to state police. The men began giving the girl CPR, with Cummings giving chest compressions and Wood giving rescue breaths, according to state police. They were able to get the girl to start breathing and kept her breathing until an ambulance arrived. The girl was eventually flown to Norton Children's Hospital, according to state police. She is now listed in stable condition. The crash is under investigation by the Elizabethtown police. http://www.officer.com/news/12280633...ung-girls-life

See also: Girl Forgoes Birthday to Buy Vests for K-9's November 18, 2016 - For the past few years, Alexis Mattingly has asked for charitable donations instead of birthday gifts and this year chose to donate to Spike's K9 Fund.

For the past few years, Alexis Mattingly has asked for charitable donations instead of birthday gifts. The SPCA, Humane Society, Hope 4 Life, and Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia are some of the previous recipients of her generosity. This year, for her 10th birthday, she decided on a new one after watching the news on TV. "I saw Anderson Cooper talking about them," said Alexis, a fourth grader at John B. Dey Elementary School in Virginia Beach. The longtime CNN anchor was talking about ballistic vests for K-9 officers. Cooper donated all of his fees from a Norfolk speaking event earlier this year to Spike's K9 Fund after learning about the death of Krijger, a Norfolk K-9 officer killed during a police standoff in January. More donations poured in when Cooper tweeted about Krijger to his 7 million Twitter followers. Alexis decided she wanted to help too. She told her mother, Holly, about her plans in August, two months before her Oct. 9 birthday. She also broke the news about the cost of each vest: $2,500. "When she told me I said, 'Oh, we should start now and maybe by the time you're 12 we'll have enough," Holly Mattingly said. "But once she starts something, she doesn't stop." Alexis' cousins, Coryn Sandler, 9, and Reese Sandler, 8, joined in. The three baked cookies, brownies, fudge, homemade dog and cat treats and made various crafts to sell. Family members advertised their efforts on Facebook. "People were so inspired by what she was doing and about how these dogs needed the vests," Holly Mattingly said. "They were very generous. Cookies went for like $20."

For the past few years, Alexis Mattingly has asked for charitable donations instead of birthday gifts and this year chose to donate to Spike's K9 Fund.

Within a month, well before her birthday, Alexis and her cousins had raised all the money needed. But they kept fundraising and collected $3,500 in all. On Wednesday, they presented a check to Jake Jacocks, a retired police chief and president of the Virginia Beach Police Foundation. The foundation has been helping raise funds for the vests. The girls and other recent donors then got a chance to see some of the K-9s in their vests. As a result of donations like theirs and Cooper's, all 61 police dogs in Hampton Roads now have ballistic vests, said Jimmy Hatch, a retired Navy SEAL and founder of Spike's K9 Fund. Virginia Beach has enough for all 16 of its current K-9 officers and for five future ones, Jacocks said. The department retires an average of two dogs per year and the vests must be specifically fitted for each. The vest that Alexis paid for will go to one of the future K-9 officers and will have her name embroidered on it, Jacocks said. Holly Mattingly credited the girls' grandmother, Arlene Owens, as being the one who taught them to be so giving. Owens takes them to the Foodbank every summer and works with them to make food bags for the homeless. "I've always tried to teach them about 'tzedaka' -- about charity," Owens said. "There is always someone less fortunate than you and their role is to give back." http://www.officer.com/news/12280635...vests-for-k-9s

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Major Bayens loses battle with pancreatic cancer... Local firefighters say goodbye to one of their own November 27, 2016 - Local firefighters say goodbye to one of their own

This morning firefighters in Jefferson County are saying their final goodbyes to one of their own. Thirty-five-year-old Major Kevin Bayens of the Highview Fire Department died last week after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Bayens started his career back in 1999 and worked with firefighters from around the world. He even had ties to us here at WHAS11, co-hosting the Fire Service television program “In the Line of Fire” with meteorologist Reed Yadon. Visitation will be held today from noon until 8 p.m. at Resthaven Funeral Home on Bardstown Road. His funeral is set for Monday morning at 10 at the Highview Baptist Church on Fegenbush Lane. http://www.whas11.com/news/local-fir...-own/356224814

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Quick action ends lone wolf jihadi attack... Ohio State Officer Lauded for Stopping Attack November 29, 2016 - Officer Alan Horujko, who had been in the area on another call, arrived on the scene within a minute and fatally shot Abdul Razak Ali Artan Monday.

The man who drove a car into a crowd of students at Ohio State University on Monday and then attacked bystanders with a butcher knife, injuring at least 11, has been identified as a student at the university, and officials are investigating whether terrorism was a motive. The attacker, Abdul Razak Ali Artan, who authorities said was about 20 years old, was shot and killed by a university police officer who arrived and brought Artan down within a minute, officials said. "This happened right before his eyes," campus Police Chief Craig Stone said of Officer Alan Horujko, 28, who had been in the area on another call. In a previous news conference, Stone said Artan had not "followed" the officer's commands and "the officer did what he had to do to end the threat."

Officer Alan Horujko

Local officials have not suggested a motive for Artan's actions, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich urged caution while the investigation unfolds. "It's our job to let the investigation take its due course, and at the end of the day we'll find out what happened," Kasich said. "We may never find out [why], but we're going to have a lot more information.... Right now we have to have patience." After receiving a briefing on the attack, U.S. Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said the incident "bears all of the hallmarks of a terror attack carried out by someone who may have been self-radicalized." His office declined to release more information on how he reached that conclusion. "The intelligence community is providing all necessary information and support to law enforcement as they investigate this individual's motivations and background, and we hope to know much more very soon," Schiff said in a statement. An anonymous U.S. official told the Associated Press that Artan was born in Somalia and was a permanent U.S. resident. In an interview given to the Lantern campus newspaper in August, Artan said he was a Muslim and a new transfer student. Citing negative portrayals of Muslims in the media, he said he was confused and "scared" about where to pray on campus. "I just transferred from Columbus State. We had prayer rooms, like actual rooms where we could go to pray because we Muslims have to pray five times a day," Artan told the Lantern. "I wanted to pray in the open, but I was kind of scared with everything going on in the media," Artan said. "I'm a Muslim, it's not what the media portrays me to be. If people look at me, a Muslim praying, I don't know what they're going to think, what's going to happen." Artan said he decided to pray in a corner. MORE

See also: Ga. Deputy Pulls Clerk From Gas Station Fire November 29, 2016 - Flames trapped a store clerk early Monday when a car crashed into the fuel pumps and hit the building.

Just before 2 a.m. at the Circle K at 3802 Northside Drive, a 2014 Toyota Camry hit the curb at the Elnora Drive entrance, clipped the landscaping and hit a fuel pump. "It's amazing no one was killed," said a man waiting for a work crew to begin repairs at the convenience store next to The Wellness Center, Navicent Health. Bibb County sheriff's Deputy Scott Rickert was patrolling nearby and witnessed the accident. The pump was torn from the fuel island and smashed into the front corner of the building where it erupted into flames. The clerk, working inside the protective glass compartment, could not open the door to escape. Bibb County deputies were patrolling the area and responded immediately. Rickert pulled the clerk over the counter and out of the window of the cashier's compartment, said Macon-Bibb Fire Battalion Chief Todd Alligood.

Flames trapped a store clerk early Monday when a car crashed into the fuel pumps and hit the building.

The other deputy chased and apprehended the fleeing driver, Howard McKinney III, of Stockbridge, who was charged with driving under the influence. McKinney smelled of alcohol, admitted he had a few drinks earlier and failed a field sobriety test, according to the arrest report. McKinney was taken to Coliseum Northside Hospital and gave the nurse permission to try one time to draw his blood. The nurse was not able to get a vein on the first try, and McKinney refused to be stuck again, the report noted. A Circle K manager on site was not able to comment, but it appears the store could be closed for weeks. Northside Drive was blocked for a couple of hours and a fire crew watched the building overnight. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash. http://www.officer.com/news/12282837...s-station-fire