Editorial

A thank you to first responders

Friday, April 5, 2019

This morning runners will be competing in the fifth annual Badge of Honor Benefit Run that features a half marathon, 5K and 10K races.

Last year the race drew nearly 200 runners and raised more than $22,000 to support three nonprofit organizations for first responders and their families:

• BackStoppers provides assistance to the families of police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs who have lost their lives or suffered catastrophic injury in the line of duty.

• The Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society serves the surviving members of a trooper’s family.

• The Poplar Bluff Fraternal Order of Police also receive money from the race for its annual FOP/Cops and Kids Christmas charity program.

“A gunshot wound is one of those things that is part of our job.”

Poplar Bluff police detective Corey Mitchell said that after receiving the Elk’s Officer of the Year Award last Saturday at the organization’s 32nd annual Law and Order Night.

Mitchell was shot while helping to serve a warrant on July 19, the bullet lodged in his right forearm. As fellow officers returned fire, Poplar Bluff officer Austin Lemonds grabbed Mitchell like “the Incredible Hulk” and pulled him over a table and out of the apartment to safety.

An officer with the U.S. Marshal Task Force was also shot in his bullet-proof vest that day while another shot struck the bullet-proof shield held by the deputy marshal.

“By God’s grace the bullet wasn’t a few inches to the right. That injury would likely have resulted with Corey losing his life,” said Donnie Trout, Poplar Bluff police deputy chief and a member of the Poplar Bluff Elk’s lodge, during his introduction of Mitchell.

Lemonds was also honored as the Poplar Bluff Police Department’s Officer of the Year as law enforcement in Butler and Ripley counties were honored at the event. He was on duty Tuesday afternoon when a fire broke out in the 800 block of Poplar Street.

With the possibility that two people and a dog were still inside the home, Poplar Bluff firefighters entered the home with heavy smoke coming from the attic. The fire caused the roof to cave in with firemen working below. A loud horn from the ladder truck sounded and everyone emerged uninjured as the fire grew and flames consumed the home.

The two people suspected of being in the home had previously left and were tracked down. While breaking a window for ventilation, firefighters were surprised to see the dog inside, nearly 30 minutes after arriving.

“Chad (Bell) and I were in the bedroom they got the dog out of,” said Chief Ralph Stucker, who added that Bell was using the department’s thermal-imaging camera, and he didn’t see anything give off heat indications in the room.

“Chad had no idea where the dog was at,” said Stucker, who indicated it may not have been in the room at the same time as he and Bell.

Just another day at the office.

We have been a proud sponsor of the Badge of Honor Benefit Run and want to thank all first responders that serve our community.

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