Lane Ashworth, Chief Jason Parker, Sergeant Mike Wilson, and Officer David Saylors pose after the presentation of the American Red Cross' Lifesaving Award for the Professional Responder.
The American Red Cross presented Officer David Saylors with one of its highest honors at Tuesday morning's meeting of the Dalton Public Safety Commission. Officials from the Dalton/Whitfield chapter of the Red Cross honored Officer Saylors with the Lifesaving Award for the Professional Responder. According to the Red Cross, the award is one of the highest honors given by the Red Cross to individuals or teams of individuals who saves or sustains a life using skills learned in an American Red Cross Health and Safety Services course. This is only the 10th time that the award has been given nationwide.
The award recognizes Officer Saylors' efforts in September 2008 to save one of his fellow officers from choking. On September 16, 2008, Officer Saylors and Sergeant Mike Wilson were eating together when Sergeant Wilson began to choke on a piece of chicken. Officer Saylors, who was trained by the Red Cross in CPR/AED, performed the Heimlich Maneuver on Sergeant Wilson, dislodging the food.
Lane Ashworth, president of the Dalton/Whitfield chapter of the Red Cross, presented the award to Officer Saylors on Tuesday morning. Sergeant Wilson was also in attendance. The award bears the signature of Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, chairman of the American Red Cross, and Gail J. McGovern, president of the American Red Cross.