A plane crash that occurred on Dec. 8, 2014, took the lives of six people when it struck a home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Within minutes of the incident, first responders were at the scene of the crash to put out the fire and save any survivors they could find.
To honor their courage and commitment to protecting the lives of others, Montgomery County presented the servicemen with an award at Montgomery County's 41st Annual Public Safety Awards.
Quick response earns praise
Montgomery County Police Officer Michael Simpson was one of the first responders to arrive at the scene. He told WUSA9 that as soon as they received the call that a plane had crashed into the house, they sent as many units to the address as fast as they could. He noted that they never had a call like that one before and knew they had to act quickly.
"I went into the garage, cleared out a way for the fire department who was coming very quickly behind me, kicked out the garage door and had to be turned back by intense smoke and flame," Simpson explained to the news source.
The combination of the intense fumes and smoke released by the jet fuel and the destruction done to the home made it nearly impossible to do anything until a good number of firefighters had made it to the scene. After an hour, the servicemen had extinguished the fire enough to bring victims who were nearby the house when the aircraft struck to safety.
A team effort
The officials who were recognized at the ceremony said that they were honored to receive such an award. However, they remained humble and noted that they were only doing their jobs, wishing that they could have done more.
Those who were honored included members from Paramedic Engine 728 Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, 6th District Station Montgomery County Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, according to WJLATV.
"If it wasn't for the quick response of fire and rescue, if it wasn't for all the other units there … we couldn't have gotten there as fast as we did. I just wish we could have done more," Simpson told WJLATV.
Ken Gemmel lost his wife and two young sons as a result of the crash. He issued a statement praising the responders for their bravery and efforts on Friday, according to WUSA9.
"I am pleased that the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce has recognized the great efforts of the various divisions of Montgomery County Pubic Safety made on the day of the tragedy. I have nothing but respect for what they tried to do that day and I am proud of their outstanding efforts especially considering how dire the situation had become for themselves," said Gemmel in the statement.
The recipients of the award said that it was a team effort that required the courage of every servicemember on site that day and stated that they would like to share the award with all of the first responders involved.