Last night at The State Attorney’s Office’s Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Awards, two members of the Clay County Fire Rescue were distinguished for their acts of heroism. Lieutenants Joseph Hutchins and Thomas Gill were commended with the Bravery Award, recognizing their efforts in a life-saving operation that unfolded on the waters of Black Creek Marina in Green Cove Springs, according to an official release on the Clay County Government website.
The incident, which took place back on August 25, 2024, had Lieutenant Gill and his crew at Rescue 22 fortuitously nearby, returning from another call. Their swift response saw them arriving at the scene within two minutes post dispatch – a critical twist of fate for the infant then missing in the water. Simultaneously, Lieutenant Hutchins, though off-duty, was quick to join the scene after being made aware of the emergency. The two lieutenants commandeered a local resident's boat in an effort to expedite the rescue.
It was under Gill’s command that they arrived to learn the baby was unaccounted for, submerged somewhere amid the pandemonium. Lieutenant Gill’s determination saw him repetitively dive into the murky depths, scouring blindly for the life at stake. It was his strenuous search that uncovered the unresponsive infant, trapped by a life jacket beneath the overturned vessel. Gill then propelled the baby upward to the expectant hands of Hutchins, who immediately commenced CPR.
Hutchins and Gill, partnered in their resolve, refused to give up on the young life. Hutchins, maintaining admirable poise, continued the advanced life-sustaining measures while returning the infant to the dock – and onward to the hospital. Gill, despite succumbing to water inhalation and fatigue, which later needed medical attention, pushed persistently to provide assistance until it became physically unfeasible to continue. Their concerted actions were later credited with giving the child "the best possible chance at survival," as detailed by the Clay County Government's release.
