According to the Burn Prevention Network, Mahanoy City Police Officers Jennifer Dempsey and Thomas "TJ" Rentschler were the first to arrive on the scene of a “911” call to find flames and heavy smoke coming from the front of a residence earlier this year.
Upon hearing yells for help from the second floor, they entered the home and proceeded to the second floor despite heavy smoke and flames. They found an adult male and his 1-year old son in a bedroom and led them to safety.
Both will be honored with the Valley Preferred Spirt of Courage Award in Bethlehem on October 2, 2018.
Valley Preferred, the Burn Prevention Network and the Regional Burn Center and Burn Recovery at Lehigh Valley Hospital launched the Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Award Program in 2005 to honor people in eastern and northeastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey who risked their lives to save others from a burn or death by fire. The program recognizes individuals and groups that have done an outstanding job of promoting fire safety or burn prevention education.
The Spirt of Courage award honors first responders, organizations and civilians who have performed selfless acts of heroism and promoted exceptional fire safety in their community.
Photo from the Burn Prevention Network