Henderson Fire Department Fire Fighter Brad Knutson was presented the city’s Medal of Valor by Fire Chief Danny Wilkerson at Monday evening’s City Council meeting.
Knutson was presented the medal for “presence of mind” and quick action in saving fellow fire fighter Jeremy Turner at the scene of a structure fire on Dabney Drive on October 18, 2005.
Chief Wilkerson, often verging on tears, told the council the story of how Knutson saved Turner at that fire. The call came after lunch at the Central Fire Station. Wilkerson told council members that he went out on the call as well because he had a feeling about that particular fire. As they approached the fire, they could see lots of smoke billowing across the Henderson Mall.
According to Wilkerson, the fire was “unbelieveable”, consuming a “nice home in a nice area”. The attack on the fire went according to training, with Turner leading the assault and Knutson providing backup. All of a sudden, Wilkerson told council members, Turner “fell in” to the basement of the home. Knutson held onto Turner, Wilkerson testified, and Turner held onto the hose. Wilkerson and others entered the basement, where natural gas was present, to retrieve Turner safely.
“God talked to me that day,” Wilkerson said. He told the council that God had said, “Dan, you’re lucky you didn’t lose a fire fighter today.” After returning to the fire station, they went upstairs and critiqued the fire together.
“We cried and prayed and thanked God He brought us all back home,” Wilkerson said.
After the presentation in which the medal was pinned to Knutson’s uniform by his wife, Henderson Mayor Clem Seifert asked Wilkerson when the last time was that a Medal of Valor had been awarded. Wilkerson responded that it was the first time since he has been Fire Chief.
Before the presentation of the medal, Seifert had told a group of students from Southern Vance High School and Lift Every Voice Institute, or LEVI, a local student mentoring group, that he had wanted them to be present for the recognition of “people you should respect”.
In other public safety news, police canine Okar was declared surplus property and sold to Henderson Police Department Officer D.A. Diogo for one dollar by unanimous vote. Okar was retired from service due to chronic medical problems.