MARION COUNTY, W.Va. (WDTV) – “We responded to a 911 call reporting that a lady had jumped from the Third Street Bridge into the water below, and we were able to locate her, we could hear her yelling for help,” says Officer Eric Hudson, recipient of this month’s First Responder of the Month award.
After hearing this cry for help, Officer Hudson and Officer Freme jumped into the Monongahela River to rescue this injured woman.
“The main goal was to locate her. We weren’t sure if we would be able to, it was a pitch black, dark night, the water was moving quite fast” says Officer Darren Freme, the second recipient of the First Responder of the Month award.
Both officers say that it was their reactions that lead them into the river, a reaction that won this month’s First Responder of the Month award.
“These two officers went above and beyond what anyone would do, I think, in a situation, and it would be hard to differentiate either one of them,” says Partner of the Manchin Injury Law Group Taylor Downs.
The officers, though, don’t see their actions as anything out of the ordinary.
“It’s nothing that anybody else wouldn’t have done in this line of work that anybody else out in the community would do,” says Officer Freme.
Fairmont Police Chief nominated both officers for this award, and although he’s proud of his men, he’s looking out for the family of the victim who passed away a few days after this incident.
“It’s unfortunate that most of the times that we’re honored at the worst time of somebody else’s life, so I think that it’s important to also note that our sympathy for the victim and her family and friends go out along with recognition that the officers are getting” says Police Chief for the Fairmont Police Department Steven Shine.
“If it were my child who were pushed off of that bridge or accidentally fell off of that bridge, what a relief it is to know that we got people like that who are willing to risk their lives and risk cold water in the middle of the winter to go out and try to save somebody” says Partner for the Manchin Injury Law Group Tim Manchin.
If you would like to nominate someone to be a First Responder of the Month, please visit www.manchininjurylaw.com/nomination.
WDTV News Segment on Officer Hudson and Officer Freme
Tim Manchin, Officer Hudson, Officer Freme, Taylor Downs Award Presentation
Attorney Timothy Manchin established the Manchin Injury Law Group in 2011 after his law partner of more than 25 years became a West Virginia circuit court judge. His focus is on helping individual clients and entire families victimized by negligent acts.
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