Saturday, April 20, 2024–4:30 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Two Floyd County Police officers are being recognized for their lifesaving efforts in two separate incidents.
According to Floyd County Police Chief Mark Wallace, on March 21, Officer Jim McCormick responded to an accident involving a chainsaw that nearly amputated a man’s hand and resulted in uncontrolled bleeding.
“Office McCormick responded quickly and employed his stop-the-bleeding training by applying a cat tourniquet to control the bleeding from the semi-conscious victim,” Wallace said. “The victim survived, due largely to Officer McCormick’s actions.”
Then on April 7, Officer Brandon Bleaker responded to a report of a disabled person trapped near a fire in his yard on Morgan Dairy Road. The victim had already sustained second and third-degree burns on his arm. He was on the ground and was unable to walk due to paralysis.
“Officer Bleaker was the first person to arrive on the scene,” Wallace said. “Staying calm in his demeanor, he communicated with the victim. He dragged the victim away from the fire, and also from the burning motorized wheelchair that he fell from. After pulling the victim to safety, Officer Bleaker began a medical assessment and cared for the victim until the arrival of rescue units.”
The Floyd County Police Department also recently recognized three officers for their traffic enforcement efforts.
Todd Jackson – Speed enforcement
Edgar Quijada – DUI enforcement
Jonathan Bradley – Distracted driving
Nathan Sangphim – Occupant safety
In 2023, Floyd County saw 221 fewer crashes and 51 fewer crashes with injuries.
Data shows that the leading contributing factors in fatalities and injuries on the roadways are excessive speed, impaired driving, distracted driving, and failure to use seatbelts or properly installed child restraints.