National foundation names Joplin Police Captain Will Davis to Roll Call of Heroes

(From the City of Joplin)

The City of Joplin is proud to share this information from the First Responders Children’s Foundation:

Joplin Police Captain Will Davis is one of the honorees at their annual gala recognizing first responders for their heroic efforts during the organization’s “Roll Call of Heroes”.

(From the First Responders Children's Foundation)

(New York, NY) – First Responders Children's Foundation, the national nonprofit founded in the aftermath of 9/11 when over 800 children lost a first responder parent, will host "A Celebration of First Responder Heroes" on June 2, 2022, at Gotham Hall in New York City. 

The event will recognize James M. Foote, President & CEO of CSX, as the 2022 Corporate Hero Award honoree for CSX’s longstanding commitment to and generous support of first responder families.

The gala dinner will pay tribute to 6.5 million first responders across the nation through "The Roll Call of Heroes" during which a representative from each category of first responder will be honored on behalf of all first responders in their category: public safety officers, firefighters, EMTs / paramedics, nurses, 911 dispatchers, and 9/11 survivors. 

 The individual representing each category of first responder will be celebrated for their personal heroism and receive an award on behalf of all first responders in their respective field.

First Responders Children's Foundation has selected six first responder heroes for the 2022 “Roll Call of Heroes” each of whom went above and beyond the call of duty and some of whom risked their lives to rescue others in their communities. The award recipients include:

On behalf of all Public Safety Officers – Captain Will Davis of the Joplin, MO Police Department who displayed unusual selflessness and courage when he stopped an assailant on a murderous rampage. 

During the altercation, two of Davis’s fellow officers were fatally shot and their patrol vehicle was stolen by the assailant’s flee attempt. 

Shots were fired at officers in pursuit, until the patrol car was wrecked in the process. 

As the assailant continued to fire at the officers, Davis pulled up to the scene, drew fire from the suspect, and ultimately returned fire, mortally wounding the assailant and ending the rampage.

On behalf of all Firefighters – Corey Wilcox of the FDNY, under punishing conditions and at personal risk, rescued an unconscious woman trapped in a house fire on Thanksgiving night. Through heavy smoke and fire, with zero visibility, high heat and rapidly deteriorating conditions, Firefighter Wilcox carried her out of the burning house to the street and provided emergency care. Firefighter Corey Wilcox's quick actions under extreme conditions were directly responsible for the woman’s survival.

On behalf of all Nurses – Jody Nixon, RN of Brooklyn, NY is a Head Nurse in the hectic and crowded Emergency Room at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, where she works non-stop saving countless lives every day. Nixon cared for the first COVID patient in NYC and always finds a way to fit more stretchers in to care for everyone. She is usually the first person in the room that responds to a cardiac arrest and trauma. She shows no fear be it COVID or bedbugs, working nonstop, with rarely any breaks. She also takes the work of head nurse home with her in heavy totes full of checklists and staffing schedules. She brings back soaps and clothing in those bags in case someone from the street needs a shower and a change of clothes. Nixon is fast on her feet and regularly triages five patients at the same time. On the toughest patients, she will find their vein to get blood samples, and even wipes away their tears.

On behalf of all Paramedics / EMTs –Alanna Badgley of Yonkers, NY responds to 911 calls as a paramedic and puts her life on the line every day fighting COVID-19, often without enough PPE and wearing the same N-95 mask for weeks on end. On the daily Badgley rescues patients in distress from their homes, who are then transported to the hospital, many of whom are sick, injured, terrified and dying. She never fails to provide expert pre-hospital medical care with empathy and humanity. Badgley also serves as Union President of the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics Local 20, working to raise awareness for the low pay and hardships endured by EMS workers nationwide.

On behalf of all 911 Dispatchers – Jonathan Ortiz of the NYPD who on January 21st answered the call of a distressed mother in Brooklyn, worried that her son was unstable. Since there was no mention a weapon, Ortiz dispatched NYPD officers to the apartment building, who were caught off guard upon arrival when they were fired upon in a surprise attack by the woman’s son. A third officer ended the violence by mortally wounding the gunman. Ortiz then got a call reporting two officers down, dispatched two ambulances to rush to the officers’ rescue, and cleared the route of traffic so the ambulances carrying police officers Mora and Rivera could race to the hospital in record time. Ortiz played a critical role in getting officers Mora and Rivera the best possible chance for immediate medical care in a short amount of time.

On behalf of all 9/11 Survivors – Sal Turturici of Morganville, NJ is a 20-year career veteran of the FDNY, who served as an EMT in the Hazardous Materials Division of the FDNY EMS. Turturici responded to the 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site, where he was tragically exposed to toxic dust that now causes him to battle terminal cancer. Despite this illness, Turturici continues to advocate for first responders.

First Responders Children's Foundation is proud to honor distinguished individuals and corporate partners for their efforts and passion in supporting our nation's first responders and their families. Past honorees of the Corporate Hero Award include Cisco, Kroll, Mattel, and SERVPRO.

The 2022 Corporate Hero Award honoree is James M. Foote, President & CEO of CSX, a premier transportation company that provides rail, intermodal, and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and consumer products. For four years, CSX Pride in Service has partnered with First Responders Children's Foundation to provide grants to law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and their families, as well as scholarships for children to pursue their dreams of higher education. CSX is also a founding member of the First Responder Children's Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

“On behalf of First Responders Children’s Foundation, we are humbled by the dedication and bravery of all the first responders being honored in our Roll Of Heroes,” said Jillian Crane, President and CEO of First Responders Children’s Foundation. “They are true heroes who represent the service and sacrifice of all in their profession. We are also delighted to honor Mr. James M. Foote on behalf of CSX Pride in Service for the company’s dedication to first responders and their families. Our partnership began in 2018, and with their support, we have helped hundreds of children with scholarships. During the COVID-19 pandemic CSX was the first to show up and help us launch our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, and for this and so much more, we are grateful.”

“It is with great honor that I accept this award on behalf of CSX and our Pride in Service community investment initiative,” said James M. Foote, President and Chief Executive Officer of CSX. “Safety and service are in our DNA, and we work closely with first responders in the local communities where we operate every single day. Partnering with First Responders Children’s Foundation allows us to give back to the families of some of these brave heroes.”

The gala evening will include recognition of the Foundation's college scholarship recipients including Mabel Jesse, Florida State College of Jacksonville class of 2023 and Annette-Rene Rule, Texas State University class of 2025.

Proceeds from the Gala will support Foundation programs including college scholarships, direct financial assistance, bereavement assistance, and toys during the holidays. Proceeds will also support mental health services for children of first responder families through the newly introduced First Responders Children's Foundation Resiliency Program.

The gala dinner and awards ceremony will take place on June 2, 2022, at Gotham Hall in New York City. Tickets and sponsorships are available at 1stRCF.org.

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The new book, Remembering: People Who Touched Our Lives, featuring 56 stories about people who left a lasting impact, is available now at Always Buying Books, The Book Guy and Changing Hands Book Shoppe in Joplin and the Lamar Democrat office in Lamar and can be purchased from Amazon at this link.

Signed copies can be ordered at the PayPal link below or by sending $25 (including sales tax and shipping) to Randy Turner, 2306 E. 8th, Apt. A, Joplin, MO 64801.