Responders Honored With Medal of Valor

Vice President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor to 14 firefighters, paramedics and police officers yesterday on the White House grounds.

The national award was authorized in 2001 and is awarded to public safety officers cited by the Attorney General.

This year's awardees bring the total of medals presented to 55, dating back to the first recipients honored in 2003.

Those honored yesterday included responders from nine agencies from six states.

Kingfisher, Okla. Fire Chief Randy D. Poindexter
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. Brian S. Sturgill

On Aug. 19, 2007, Lt. Sturgill and Chief Poindexter worked together to coordinate multiple rescues of individuals who were stranded as a result of Hurricane Erin, which had flooded parts of Oklahoma the previous night.

In one of their rescues, Sturgill and Poindexter assisted two occupants of a submerged pickup truck. Sturgill maneuvered the helicopter's skids so they were just under the water and Poindexter was able to remove the first occupant.

The rescue of the second occupant was riskier because Sturgill positioned the helicopter's skids so they were deeper under the water. Sturgill's efforts enabled Chief Poindexter to reach both occupants and ride with them to safety.

Brookline Fire Lt. Paul R. Pender, Jr., Acting Lt. Gerald J. Murphy and Firefighter Frederick C. Johnston

On April 16, 2008, the Brookline Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire which indicated that someone in a wheelchair was trapped on the second floor.

Due to the heavy smoke and volume of the fire, all the firefighters were ordered out of the building. During the evacuation, a backdraft caused the partial collapse of the second floor ceiling.

At the same time, Firefighter Stephen Nelson was knocked down and was partially buried under debris. The backdraft also knocked down several firefighters at the second floor doorway, sending one of them tumbling down the stairs, taking Acting Lt. Murphy with him.

Murphy quickly recovered and immediately crawled back up the stairs, found the nozzle of Engine Co. 1's line, and began moving into the heavily involved fire. At the same time, Lt. Pender and Johnston rushed up the stairway and Murphy directed them to Nelson.

Without hesitation or concern for their own safety, they all advanced into the second floor, located Nelson, and rescued him.

All four men were treated for second-degree burns.

Jefferson County, Mo. Deputy Carl A. Beier

On Sept. 8, 2007, Deputy Beier responded to a report of a violent disturbance at a rural residence in an unincorporated part of Jefferson County.

As he approached the house, an individual came outside, holding what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle, and began charging toward the deputy. Throughout the episode, Beier kept the 9-1-1 dispatch center and the other responding deputies informed of the situation, and actually ordered the deputies not to pull into the driveway, fearing that the man would ambush them.

Beier, without regard for his own life, stood his ground while under continuous fire, incapacitated an enraged suspect, and protected lives.

Jacksonville, Fla. Detective Jared T. Reston

On Jan. 29, 2008, Detective Reston was working off-duty at the Regency Square Mall when he received a call about two shoplifters.

One suspect had been taken into custody, but the other had fled on foot. Detective Reston ran after the fleeing suspect and caught up with him in the 9400 block of Atlantic Boulevard, where the suspect turned and shot Detective Reston several times with a Glock .45 pistol. In spite of his wounds, Detective Reston managed to regain his focus and, while still lying on the ground, drew out his service weapon and returned fire, striking the suspect several times and ending the pursuit.

San Antonio Officer Pedro Garcia III