Heroes were honored last Friday. Thirty-four public safety officers were recognized by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce during the 21st annual Valor Awards luncheon.

This is one of the most important things we do each year, said Chamber Chairman Rick Dorman. Thank you for all you do to keep us safe every day.

This year, 16 members of the Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Fire Department were recognized for their bravery in saving people caught in high water during the June, 2006, flood when Cameron Run overflowed its banks.
Those honored included Detective Victor Ignacio, Officer Stephen Parker, Officer Shawn Adcock, Officer Peter Feltham, Officer Michael Nugent, Officer Douglass Serven and Sgt. Dennis Andreas.

Firefighters and a paramedic supervisor were also on the scene in June. Firefighters William Fowler and William Konecheck along with Paramedic Supervisor Craig Youngdale, Fire Cpt. Glen Taylor and Firefighter Timothy Quist, all helped during the rescue mission.

Because of the efforts of these officers, no one died that night as a result of the flood. Adcock, Andreas, Parker and Serven received the Gold Medal of Valor; Klopp, Feltham, Ignacio and Nugent received Silver Medals of Valor; Taylor, Quist and Youngdale received Bronze Medals of Valor and Fowler and Konecheck received Certificates of Valor.

More valor
That same night, three other firefighters, William Dunleavy and Douglas Townshend and Cpt. Robert Robinson also showed extraordinary courage in rescuing people from high water at the intersection of Quaker Lane and Braddock Road. They all received Bronze Medals of Valor.

Police Officers Brian Fromm and Kim Hendrick received Silver Medals of Valor and K-9 Titan received a Bronze Medal of Valor for apprehending a suspect who had fired multiple shots from a semi-automatic handgun in a residential neighborhood back on Aug. 3, 2006.

Two Sheriffs deputies, Rasheedah Jordan and Vikas Ohri received Bronze Medals of Valor for saving the life of a suicidal inmate at the Alexandria Detention Center. The man had a rope around his neck and was attempting to hang himself from a light fixture when the deputies intervened.

Firefighter Jodi Renner saved the life of a soldier who was trapped in his car after an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. She climbed into the wrecked car and applied lifesaving techniques until other medical help arrived 37 minutes after she made the first call for assistance. She remained in the car with her patient while he was being extricated. She received a Bronze Medal of Valor for her bravery.

Police Officer Jean-Claude Dorsainvil received a Bronze Medal of Valor and Detective Betty Sixsmith a Certificate of Valor for apprehending a knife-wielding woman on drugs who had taken a mentally-handicapped woman hostage.

Deputy Sheriff Gloria Wright received a Certificate of Valor for saving the life of a suicidal inmate at the Alexandria Detention Center.

Police Officer Robert Opsut received a Certificate of Valor for running into a burning building to make certain that nobody was inside before firefighters arrived on the scene.

Six firefighters, Patrick Evans, Glenn Renick, Donald Webber, Lt. Anthony Washington, Cpt. Anthony Casalena and Cpt. Joseph Warner, received Lifesaving Awards for rescuing a duck hunter from the Potomac River after his John Boat was swamped. Both the hunter and his dog survived with only minor injuries.

Sheriffs Deputy Lynn Oliver also received a Lifesaving Award for saving the life of another suicidal inmate at the Alexandria Detention Center. Police Officer Zygmond Slevinski also received a Lifesaving Award for preventing a distraught woman from jumping off the Seminary Road Bridge over I-395.

Staff Reports