KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — The Kaufman County Commissioners’ Court approved two resolutions Monday morning honoring Terrell Volunteer Fire Department members and other Kaufman County area first responders for their tornado response efforts last month.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — The Kaufman County Commissioners’ Court approved two resolutions Monday morning honoring Terrell Volunteer Fire Department members and other Kaufman County area first responders for their tornado response efforts last month.
In addition to the two resolutions, four members of the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department, Konnor Marshall, Kevin Hughes, Chris Sykora, and Terry Van Sickle Jr., were presented with American Heart Association Heartsaver Hero awards for their lifesaving efforts with two children who were trapped in an overturned and partially submerged pickup truck.
“I think Kaufman County really stood up and did just a wonderful job,” Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood told several Kaufman County area first responders during Monday morning’s commissioners’ court meeting. “Not only on days like that, but what you do every day of the week.”
“I listen on the radio, and I know you were busy, and I was sitting in the comfort of my home while you guys were out protecting our neighbors to the east” he said. “It was very emotional listening to that.”
Before the final tornado had passed in Van Zandt County, several Kaufman County area first responders had already coordinated a response to the tornado ravaged areas.
One department, the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department, had yielded just prior to the State Highway 64 exit. Before heading into Canton, the department answered a call for assistance after an infant, a child, and two adults were trapped in an overturned pickup truck which was partially submerged.
The department arrived just after bystanders were able to pull the two children from the vehicle and begin CPR.
“We stopped one exit west of 64 to make sure that we didn't get struck by one of those tornadoes,” Terrell Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Terry Van Sickle Jr recalled Monday morning. “We heard Van Zandt County page out the water rescue and it put us in the right place to respond quickly.”
“So often we see bad outcomes,” he said. “In this case we had a good outcome. It’s a rare thing for us, but its something we really like to see. It really makes you feel good and gives you the energy to keep going.”
“It was our honor to be there,” Van Sickle Jr. continued. “We were honored today but we were just one piece of a big puzzle.”
“If it hadn't been for the civilians that went into waters that, ordinarily my training says [we shouldn’t have gone in to] but the civilians went in, or if we wouldn't have been there, the Flight for Life medics, and the medics and the doctors in the hospital, the outcome could have been different,” he said. “It was very much a team effort.”
On Monday morning, Wood also read aloud a resolution commending all Kaufman County first responders who assisted in the tornado recovery efforts on April 29, 2017.
“The Court proudly joins citizens across the entire county in commending all of our Public Safety agencies and our First Responders for their dedication, service, and compassion to the citizens of, not only Kaufman County, but to our neighboring County as well,” stated the resolution.
