RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - Three Rutherford County Sheriff’s deputies who saved a man from his burning house received medals Thursday from the Stones River Chapter of the Tennessee Society Sons of the American Revolution.
SAR presented the Heroism Commendation and Medal to Patrol Deputy Steve Hill and the Life Saving Medals to Patrol Cpl. Ethan Shenefield and School Resource Officer Jamie Murphy during a ceremony at the Sheriff’s Office.
Chapter President Doug Dickerson said the SAR members are descendants of the heroes of the American Revolution, whose sacrifices established the United States of America.
“So, our members have a special place for those who exhibit heroism and for those who give themselves to saving lives even in the face of great sacrifice,” Dickerson said.
Hill was the first deputy who responded to the fire where Larry Adams was trapped in the back bedroom in March of his Kittrell home. He initially crawled into the living room until a dispatcher told him Adams was in a back bedroom.
At the time, Hill said deputies found Adams. Hill went through the window opening, grabbed his arm and slid Adams out the window.
“Ethan and I each grabbed his arms,” Hill said. “Murphy grabbed the victim by one side of his belt. I grabbed the other side of the belt. We all pulled him out together and moved him away from the house.”
Murphy said the deputies moved him out the window to the yard.
“We could tell he was struggling to breathe,” Murphy said.
Shenefield said with the smoke, the deputies knew they had to respond.
“There wasn’t a choice for us to sit and wait for the firefighters,” Shenefield said. “Because he (Adams) couldn’t help himself, it took us all. It’s part of our job and it’s good to see the positive side of helping out.”
Dickerson said the three deputies worked together.
“Thank you for your part in saving Mr. Adams from a situation that would have surely resulted in great injury or death,” Dickerson said.
The Heroism Medal presented to Hill recognizes bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of imminent danger.
“We believe your actions involved great personal courage and risk,” Dickerson said.
