Two Ames, Iowa police officers receive “Awards of Valor” for risking their lives in a daring rescue last December 27, 2007.
Officers Jeff Brinkley and Clint Hertz responded to a vehicle on fire at North Grand Mall in Ames, Iowa and found a lone car with fire in the rear of the car and fire extending into the passenger area of the car on December 27th [MAP/SAT].
Brinkley was first on the scene. Hertz arrived seconds later.
At first the officers were unsure, if the car was occupied; but with a variable visibility of smoke in the car’s interior, Clint Hertz opened the front passenger door and was able to recognize an unconscious figure inside the car.
Brinkley: “From the time that I got out of my car to the time that little ‘poof’ went over Clint’s head, was like 62 seconds — start to finish.”