Two Hartselle firefighters receive Medal of Valor

Hartselle firefighter/EMT David Knox and volunteer firefighter Steven Gay were presented the Medal of Valor and other awards for service beyond the line of duty at a regular council meeting Aug. 27.

Fire Chief Daryl Fox presented the medals after describing the roles each recipient played in rescuing a woman from a burning home May 30, 2019.

Fox said firefighters responded to a residence at 1800 Nethery Road just outside the city limits heavily involved with fire and thick smoke when they arrived on the scene. A woman was trapped inside and unable to escape.  

Fox said Knox and Gay entered the home without regard to their personal safety and emerged with the victim, carrying her to safety.

The firefighters also received commendations from Hartselle Mayor Randy Garrison and members of the city council, State Sen. Arthur Orr and State Rep. Scott Stadthagen.

In a resolution approved by the council, the offericers were “commended for their outstanding performance in taking heroic action at great personal risk and doing so in a manner deserving of recognition for faithful execution of their duty and beyond as firefighters under extreme and dangerous conditions.”

Their bravery was also noted and commended in resolutions passed in the State House and Senate, copies of which were presented in person by Orr and Stadthagen.

The council also adopted a transportation plan for the disbursement of funds from the city’s share of a six-cent state gas tax increase, which became effective Sept. 1, 2019.

The city estimates that its share of the tax will amount to about $66,000. These funds will be used to mill and resurface Pattillo Street SW from Highway 31 to Nanceford Road and Corsbie Street NW from Main Street to Longhorn Pass.

The governing body also authorized the mayor to enter the city into a contract with CDG engineering to prepare an ALDOT ATRIP II grant application for the widening and improvements to Roan Road from Highway 36 to Bethel Road.

The council acted on other agenda items as follows:

• Accepted a bid of $129,650 from Tractor Equipment Co. for a Komatsu D39PX-24 crawler dozer for the Public Work Department.
• Approved a budget transfer request from Public Works totaling $122,500. These funds, along with $7,600 received for a surplus Caterpillar D4 dozer, will be used to pay for the new dozer.
• Approved the renewal of a contract with Hartselle Utilities for the yearly maintenance of fire hydrants.
• Approved a budget transfer request from Administration totaling $3,950.
• Approved contract Amendment II with Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions for professional service for the city’s downtown flood mitigation project.
• Approved budget adjustment request for Downtown Flood Mitigation Project part II for $1,525.