Sheriff’s Department Dispatchers receive Hero Award
Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of medical assistance needed on Hwy 253, Monday, January 16th 2017 at approximately 1419 hours. Deputy J.L. Bowden along with Trout Creek Fire Department assisted Acadian Ambulance Service with the scene. The victim later was identified as Neal Wright, a white male of Kounce. Wright had sustained severe injuries to the throat. Once the victim was stabilized, he was transported by Life Flight to a medical facility in Beaumont, TX.
When Sheriff Billy Rowles arrived on scene he was updated on the situation at hand. An unidentified white male stated that the victim was working on a pressure well when the hose couplings exploded, causing traumatic injury to the victim’s throat. The victim was able to contact the Newton County Sheriff’s Department through 911 and managed to drive his pickup truck to the main highway. The Newton County Sheriff’s Department dispatchers Bobbie Medley & Shakora Jones noticed the victim was having trouble speaking and were able to get responders to his location using advanced 911 technology to track his location. They instructed the victim to keep his phone engaged, even if he could not speak, so they could pinpoint his exact location. The Sheriff was later advised by the First Responders keeping the victim on the phone and alert is a great contribution to saving his life.
On January 19th 2017 Sheriff Billy Rowles commended both Bobbie Medley and Shakora Jones by awarding them the Newton County Sheriff’s Department Hero Award. Sheriff Billy Rowles is currently serving as member of the Texas Sheriff’s Association and will have the award published in the 2017 Texas Sheriff’s Associations annual magazine.
First responders were: Supervising Firefighter Howard West, Firefighter Horace West, from Trout Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Paramedic Mark Muller from Buna Volunteer Fire Department, Acadian EMS Paramedics, Life Flight Rescue Helicopter pilot and Flight Nurse, and the Newton County Sheriff’s Department dispatchers Bobbie Medley and Shakora Jones. All these agencies and personnel worked together flawlessly in order to reach the victim and render immediate aid to save his life. Here is to a job well done.
Sheriff Billy Rowles thanks everyone that was involved. Our job would be impossible without team work.
