Local responders earn award for above-ground rescue

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO – More than a year since they saved a woman trapped 12 feet off the ground after the car she was driving landed in the side of the Verizon building on Dixie Drive, local rescue workers earned a distinctive honor from the American Red Cross.

The organization bestowed a Salute to Heroes award to Asheboro Fire and Rescue, East Side Fire Department, and Westside Fire and Rescue. Asheboro Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Ben Hicks accepted the award at a ceremony on Sept. 26 at The Blue Heron Event Venue in High Point. According to the Red Cross, it honors extraordinary acts by ordinary individuals in the Piedmont-Triad region.

Hicks, who led the rescue on April 10, 2023, presented the award to the Asheboro City Council at their Oct. 10 regular meeting.

"This is a testament to the knowledge, skills and abilities of the Asheboro firefighting personnel. In addition, it acknowledges the cooperation between firefighters and EMS partners in Randolph County," Hicks said before he passed the award around.

Last year, the driver went down an embankment and over the retaining wall on East Dixie Drive. The SUV became wedged against the side of the Verizon building. Police, fire and EMS all worked together to stabilize the building and secure the SUV so they could safely extract the driver.

Hicks said thanks to their training for unique rescue situations, their special equipment and their coordination with other first responders, it took just 16 minutes from getting the call to getting her out of the vehicle. "I'm proud of the ladies and gentlemen I work with. Even though I accepted the award, I accepted it on their behalf," he said.

Chief Willie Summers said, "It's not just Asheboro Fire and Rescue. We have to look at the water department, communications. So, it was a collaborative effort as a team. As Chief Hicks alluded to, the commitment of the fire department is second to none."

On another matter, council member Bill McCaskill asked the fire and police chiefs about their teams who went to Western North Carolina to help with recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene. 

Summers said they had two teams deployed, and he hopes to give them a chance to speak to the council in the future. "When we asked for volunteers, the men and women, they were ready to go," he said.

Police Chief Robbie Brown said the department sent nine officers to help with site security, road patrol, and five more were on deck and ready to be deployed.