OUR SERVICE AWARDS

The Public Service and Heroism Committee (PS&H) recognizes and honors citizens and individuals in our public service sectors of Law Enforcement, Fire Safety and Emergency Medical Services for their contributions to the community and for Heroic Acts with a commendation and medal.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD

The Law Enforcement Commendation Medal was authorized in 1967 to be presented to those who have served with distinction and devotion in the field of law enforcement. The medal is intended to recognize exceptional service or accomplishment in the field of law enforcement. Eligibility is not limited to law enforcement officers but extends to the entire range of persons who make and enforce the law. This would include law enforcement officers, attorneys, judges, prosecutors, and legislators who have performed an exceptional act or service beyond that normally expected. The recipients are usually recommended by their supervisors or peers for their accomplishments. The award may be presented posthumously and only once.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

COMMENDATION SERVICE AWARD

The Emergency Medical Services Commendation Medal was authorized in 2005 to be presented to an individual for accomplishments and/or outstanding contributions in the area of emergency medical services. The award is intended for paramedics, certified Emergency Medical Technicians, and others in the emergency medical fields that have performed an act or service beyond what is usually expected. The medal may be presented posthumously and only once.

FIRE SAFETY COMMENDATION AWARD

The Fire Safety Commendation Medal was authorized in 1993 to be presented to an individual for accomplishments and or outstanding contributions in an area of fire safety and service. The award is not limited to firefighters. It may be presented to recognize a variety of fire safety and services that have evolved into a highly technical and skilled profession with constant study, development, and involvement by numerous dedicated citizens with a single goal, which is protecting human life and property by preventing injuries or casualties due to fire and chemicals. For consideration should be those in such diverse areas as fire protection engineering, insurance service organization/commercial risk services, local fire departments, state academy training/administration, fire and rescue institutes, fire prevention bureaus, International Association of Fire Chiefs, arson-sabotage investigation, inspectors, hazardous materials units, public fire education, forensics and the like. The medal may be presented posthumously and only once.

HEROISM AWARDS

The Heroism Commendation Medal was authorized in 1985 to recognize outstanding bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of imminent danger – i.e., acts that involve great personal courage and risk to the recipient. It is intended primarily for civilians, not in uniform, but does not exclude law enforcement officers, firefighters, or EMS SAR Compatriots. It is not intended to recognize acts that would have been covered in one's normal duty performance, nor by medals for valor by the armed forces. Animals are not eligible for recognition. The medal may also be presented posthumously, and an individual may receive this medal multiple times.

LIFE SAVING AWARD

The Life Saving Commendation Medal may be presented to those individuals who have acted to save a human life without necessarily placing their own life or themselves in imminent danger. The medal is intended primarily for acts by civilians not in uniform; however, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical personal, lifeguards, and SAR Compatriots are not excluded from receiving this award. The medal is not intended to recognize acts that would otherwise qualify for military or another organization's valor medals. In all cases, the fact that the rescuer's actions saved the victim's life must be validated by EMS or medical personnel. Lifesaving examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

Performing the Heimlich maneuver or other first aid to prevent a person from choking;
Saving a person from drowning by bringing the person to safety;
Performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or rescue breathing until the person breathes normally;
Performing CPR or applying an automated external defibrillator (AED) on a person experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest before EMS arrival.

The Life Saving Commendation Medal is intended to recognize the actions of any person:

Who was directly responsible for the saving of human life; or,
Who prolonged human life to the extent that the person was still alive upon transfer to the care of medical authorities even though the person might expire at a later time.

Only one award will be awarded for each incident regardless of the number of persons involved. Nominations will not be considered after a lapse of 24 months of the incident. The medal may also be presented posthumously, and an individual may receive this medal multiple times.

SARAMANA CHAPTER

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

OUR SERVICE AWARDS