BILLINGS— The Billings Fire Department hosted an award ceremony Saturday afternoon honoring two teenage girls and six firefighters for their acts of bravery this year.
The girls, Sadie DeBusk and Hallelujah McPherson, were awarded with Citizen Service Medals for helping to rescue a 10-year-old girl and her father who fell off their floatation devices in Lake Elmo on July 27.
Watch to see why they are getting awarded:
The incident involved the rescue of nine people, three of which were hospitalized.
DeBusk and McPherson, who did not know each other before this occurred, had been floating in the lake.
“I saw the little girl was screaming and crying and I went over, and I got her on my paddle board,” recalled DeBusk.
DeBusk put a life jacket on the girl and her and McPherson helped bring the girl and father halfway to shore before first responders arrived. DeBusk said the girl was unresponsive at first.
“She was like, kind of out of it, just scared. And I remember Halle was really good at helping with trying to calm her down,” said DeBusk.
“The quick actions of the bystanders on scene kind of made a huge difference in there. They were treated, the 10-year-old girl for life threatening injuries. And then she ended up making a full recovery,” recalled Battalion Chief Rick Schauer, who was one of the first responders at the scene.
McPherson did not attend the ceremony, but she was still recognized.
Six Billings firefighters also received medals for their acts of courage, such as rescuing people inside a burning trailer, performing life-saving care to a man who had been run over by a semi-truck and delivering premature twins.
“We're very honored to have this award ceremony today. It is a great honor for the heroism that we have seen both with the fire department as well as citizens of Billings,” said Assistant Training Chief Chris Voller, who presented the awards.
People can nominate others be recognized with awards here.
