JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Several first responders and civilians from across Missouri will be receiving medals in a Jefferson City ceremony next week.
Governor Mike Parson will join Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten in presenting 11 first responders with Missouri Public Safety medals for “heroic, life-saving or extraordinary acts beyond the call of duty to protect the public” in 2019.
Parson will also present six civilians with awards for exceptional acts to assist first responders and the public in 2019.
Several Missouri Public Safety medals and awards will be presented including the Medal of Valor, the Governor’s Medal and the Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award.
The ceremony will be held on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. It will be streamed on the Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Facebook page.
The medal recipients include:
- Medal of Valor:
- Master Sgt. Shawn M. Dougherty and Corporal Jason C. Kuessner, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Troop D, for the heroic rescue of a wounded Carter County Deputy Sheriff after he was shot by a gunman.
- Trooper Keaton L. Ebersold, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Chief Shannon Sherwood, Rock Port Police Department, for quick thinking under duress and life-saving action to rescue a young child, whose life was threatened as she was held hostage.
- Deputy Thomas M. Buchness, Christian County Sheriff’s Office, for resourcefulness and bravery in rescuing a woman in danger of drowning in swift water conditions.
- Corporal Christopher S. Robertson, Calverton Park Police Department, for the dramatic rescue of a child and fellow police officer, who had jumped into the icy water of a public pool to rescue the child from drowning.
- Governor’s Medal:
- Battalion Chief Duane K. Greer, Captain Christopher R. Erb Jr., Firefighter Patrick A. Ferguson, Firefighter James J. Fuchs, and Firefighter Joshua A. Roth, St. Louis Fire Department, for the life-saving rescue of four children under age five from a burning residence.
- Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award:
- Jason C. Gamm, Rick L. Shannon and Wesley W. Teague, nominated by the Trenton Police Department, for courageously risking their lives to stop a prisoner’s assault on a police officer, who had been shot by the prisoner during a police transport.
- Thomas E. Hutsler II, nominated by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, for exhibiting tremendous bravery is preventing an armed woman, who had already fired her gun, from entering a motor vehicle license office where she had made threats.
- James W. Whitley II and Robert J. Whitley, nominated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, for risking their own lives to save the lives of five people who were in a boat that was sinking in the Mississippi River.
