The Buckhead Business Association honored police officers and firefighters for rescues that saved lives – both human and animal – with awards given in its annual “Signature Luncheon” on June 13.
The Buckhead Public Safety Awards are sponsored by Georgia Primary Bank and recognizes first responders who are nominated by a supervisor or fellow public safety officers. Those recognized on June 13 included first responders from the Atlanta Police Department’s Zone 2, which covers Buckhead; the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department; and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Zone 2 Police Officers Chris Davis, Charles Tierney and Brittney Williams were honored for rescuing the victim of a flaming car wreck in August 2018. According to a BBA narrative of the incident, Davis and Tierney worked to extinguish the fire while Williams entered the burning car and freed the trapped victim from the crushed dashboard. Tierney then helped Williams pull the victim out of the car. “Seconds after the officers freed the victim, the vehicle erupted into flames and was fully engulfed,” according to the BBA narrative.
Firefighters Lt. William Mallory, Sgt. Duane Grandison and Sgt. Michael Sterling were honored for their battle of a December 2018 house fire, where most of the home was saved and they rescued two pet cats. “The efforts of these officers demonstrated that the life of an animal was worth the same amount of effort as a human life,” said David Coxon, president of Georgia Primary Bank, as he presented their award.
Deputy Sheriff Brandon Lewis was recognized for a January 2019 incident at the county courthouse where he saved a dialysis patient whose treatment line had burst, causing heavy bleeding.
The luncheon, held at the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead hotel on Lenox Drive, included a keynote address from Nadia Bilchik, an editorial producer at CNN and president of Greater Impact Communication, a public speaking consultancy.