Holmes officers honored for lifesaving actions

To the two Holmes County sheriff’s officers who provided CPR recently, they were simply doing their jobs.

To the individuals who received their quick-thinking and professional actions, they were lifesaving moments.

Recently, Holmes County sheriff's officers Angela Friel and Cory McVicker were honored by the department for their heroic effort in providing CPR during a pair of community incidents, efforts that may well have saved the lives of both individuals.

On July 30 the duo was honored for their quick actions at the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, where Sheriff Tim Zimmerly and Holmes Fire District #1 Chief Brian Rafferty recognized the two.

“We are here to recognize two acts of exceptional bravery and humanity,” Zimmerly said during the brief press conference honoring Friel and McVicker. “In moments of critical need, corrections officer Angela Friel and deputy Cory McVicker demonstrated extraordinary courage, composure and selflessness, qualities that truly define the essence of heroism.

“Their swift and decisive actions directly resulted in the preservation of human life. These remarkable deeds remind us of the profound impact one individual can have, even in the most challenging circumstances.”

Zimmerly said these commendations stand as a testament to their valor.

Friel was entering Walmart after work and happened upon someone struggling to breathe. She had never had this happen before, but she reacted quickly, her training proving to be critical.

“It just kind of kicked in. I don’t even remember a lot of it,” Friel said.

Officers never know when and where situations requiring CPR might occur. They only know their training prepares them for these types of circumstances if and when they happen.

For Friel, it was simply part of her job to react in a stressful situation, where she calmly took control of what could have been a disaster.

“I’m glad I was there to help,” she said. “I did what I had to do.”

While Friel believes she was just doing her job, the individual and family have continued to express their gratitude for her heroic effort.

For McVicker, the experience mirrored Friel’s in that it happened in an everyday situation. McVicker was working out and preparing to leave to his cruiser when he discovered a subject lying face down in a pool of blood.

He and a nurse on hand grabbed an AED and went to work, and within five minutes they were finally able to revive the person’s pulse. Holmes Fire District #1 personnel soon responded and transported the subject, and a life was saved.

“We go through a lot of training for this. You train for it, hoping that it never happens and you never have to use it,” McVicker said. “It’s just a natural instinct to jump in and start doing it. I always tell people it’s kind of a fight or flight situation. I saw it and jumped in and did what I had to do.”

He said all the officers who train for this type of scenario take their training very seriously, and it paid off.

The individual in this case quickly had a pacemaker installed and was doing very well.

Aside from Zimmerly, Holmes Fire District #1 Chief Brian Rafferty also presented the duo with an honor, noting swift, decisive action played a role in preserving two lives.

“It’s those first minutes that matter the most,” Rafferty said. “We work together on a lot of scenes and work as a team, but what they did off duty on their own time made a huge difference in two people’s lives.”

Zimmerly said the department works tirelessly to prepare its officers for these types of moments.

“Our officers go through a lot of first aid training and first responder-type situations,” Zimmerly said. “Their training kicked into gear, and I’m proud of them.”

Zimmerly said this was a case of not just good officers but good people doing the right thing. He said people here are fortunate to live in a community where many others would do the same thing.