‘Act of Bravery’: Georgia officer risks life to pull woman from burning building
By Zach Rainey
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ROYSTON, Ga. (WYFF) — A police officer in Royston, Georgia, is being praised by her colleagues and the community after she put herself in danger to save a woman from a burning building.
Around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, the Royston Police Department along with the Royston Fire Department were dispatched to a house fire.
Officer Elizabeth Eddy was one of the officers who responded to the call.
When she arrived, Eddy discovered that the flames were coming from a bedroom and that a woman was still inside.
Officials said Eddy entered the burning building with total disregard for her own safety and pulled the woman out of the building.
Firefighter West Bennett arrived as they were exiting and immediately went to assist Eddy and the woman.
Patrolman Josh Fowler wrote in a statement, “Eddy remained inside the burning structure for over a minute while battling the extreme heat, heavy smoke, and other hazards associated with the fire.”
He added, “In my 22 years of law enforcement experience, I have rarely witnessed such an act of bravery. Officer Eddy displayed extraordinary courage and heroism by placing herself in immediate danger to save another person’s life.”
Royston Police Chief Brooks Moorhead praised Eddy by stating, “Elizabeth Eddy went above and beyond her duties placing herself in grave danger to save a Royston resident. We are blessed to have her as a member of this department. She sets the bar high for us all.”
Moorhead recommended Eddy for the Royston Police Department’s “Life-Saving with Valor” award. This is awarded to officers or civilian employees who, with total disregard for their personal safety, saved or attempted to save the life of another.
When recommending Eddy for the award, Moorhead said, “I can’t think of a better example.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation with the Georgia State Fire Marshals. No other details have been released.
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