WOODSFIELD — The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office recently recognized multiple first responders for their quick and heroic actions that saved four people late last year.

Sheriff Charles Black Jr. presented Deputy David Miller, paramedic Grace Mason and emergency medical technician Blaze Amos each with a Life Saving Award on Friday for their actions during an incident that occurred in November.

“They’ve done an excellent job responding and getting on scene, assessing the situation and taking action to save life that night,” he said.

Black said heavy rainfall caused a creek on Keylor Hill Road, located just outside Woodsfield, to flood on Nov. 11. The water rose onto the roadway, where a vehicle containing multiple people was swept away and downstream in the creek.

Miller was the first to arrive on scene. Black said he acted quickly, deploying a rescue disk to the occupants trapped in the vehicle. Mason and Amos each assisted in the rescue, helping to pull the individuals to safety.

Thanks to the first responders’ efforts, no one was injured. The vehicle was retrieved later on once the high water had subsided.

Black said the actions taken on that day were commendable, and he congratulated all those involved in the rescue.

Miller was awarded the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association Life Saving Award, while Mason and Amos each received a Life Saving Award from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Amos noted that teamwork among first responders helped resolve the situation safely.

“I think this is a great example of seeing first responders work together to get the mission done. I think everyone should rest easy knowing that we’re going to work together the best we can,” he said. “… Police, fire and EMS, we all try to work together, and I think that should be a good level of comfort for Monroe County as well as all counties in the valley.”

Although the task was just “part of the job,” he said he appreciated the recognition from the sheriff’s office.

Amos also warned residents to avoid areas where water has gathered on the roadway.

“A little bit of water can do a lot of damage – turn around and don’t drown. That’s a scary situation, and believe it or not in Monroe County we have that situation a lot. People think a little bit of water won’t hurt them when they’re inside a vehicle. At the end of the day, a little bit of water can move a vehicle, and that’s exactly what happened here,” he said.

Black said the office only presents the awards on occasion.

The last person on the force to receive the honor was Sgt. Kevin Warner in April 2022. Warner had responded to a request for a welfare check the year prior and ultimately helped to rescue a colleague’s elderly mother who was in poor condition, as she had COVID-19 at the time. The son of the woman previously said that doctors had informed him that if Warner would not have gotten his mother to the hospital when he did, she would have died within 12 hours. Although the woman later died about a week later due to other medical complications, the family expressed their gratitude for Warner’s efforts in assisting her.