Four Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies are being credited with saving a driver's life after responding to a vehicle fire. Deputies Amber Haas, Mason Turull, Ryan Charlton and Paul Plaugher each received the Blue Coat of the Year Award for their actions at the scene, where they worked to free a trapped driver as fire spread into the passenger compartment.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the four deputies responded to the crash and found the driver trapped inside a vehicle that had caught fire. Severe damage to the vehicle prevented the deputies from immediately freeing the driver, so they used multiple fire extinguishers to keep the flames back while working to clear smoke from the vehicle. The deputies continued those efforts. The Knights of Columbus presented the Blue Coat Award to the deputies.
The Deputies' Response to the Fire
Deputy Turull was one of the deputies recognized for actions at the scene, according to the sheriff's office Facebook post. The recognition reflects the deputies' work to help free the trapped driver.
The Blue Coat Award itself carries decades of history in the region. Nearby Fairborn Council 3724 established its own annual Blue Coat ceremony back in 1973 to honor local police, fire and emergency personnel, according to the City of Fairborn. The ceremony recognizes public safety personnel.
Why County Deputies Were First on Scene
County Deputies Responded to the Crash Sheriff's deputies responded to the crash and were credited with helping the trapped driver, according to the sheriff's office.
The deputies worked to free the driver.
Emergency Response Capacity
The rescue underscores the importance of emergency response capacity.
The incident involved sheriff's deputies.
