Lori Graham
Contributing Writer
BLACKSBURG – Blacksburg Fire Chief Drew Smith and Firefighter Jeff Robinson, recognized five individuals during the Feb. 27 Blacksburg Town Council meeting for saving a life.
Andy Harper, CJ Linares, Fred Linkous, Greg Polan, and Pam Linkous Polan were awarded the “Above and Beyond Award” for their heroic actions in saving a woman’s life on Christmas Eve, 2023.
The award reads “Above and Beyond Award presented by Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department in recognition of your courageous actions during an emergency situation on December 24, 2023. At great risk, you came to the aid of a fellow citizen with dedication and diligence saving a human life.”
“Last year, the National Fire Administration says that there were over 1.4 million fires in the United States and in those 2,160 people died,” Smith said. “If it had not been for the action of these five individuals, there would’ve been one more number added to that, to that total.”
Smith said that in his 29 years of service with the fire department, he has known of two situations when a civilian was rescued before the fire department arrived. Once, several years ago by Chief Anthony Wilson and then again, this past December Eve by these five people being recognized at the Blacksburg Town Council meeting.
Four of the individuals, Pam and Greg Polan, Harper and Linkous, happened to be spending Christmas Eve together, enjoying a holiday meal, when a pager alert interrupted their gathering. The structure fire was just across the street from them, and they knew that an elderly woman lived there. On arrival at the house, they did not see anyone outside. Linares, visiting family down the road, also showed up to meet the four at the house.
“These individuals went inside, and smoke conditions were beginning to get very bad in there. I was the first one to get there with the fire department, other than Fred and Greg, and when I got there, they had her on the front porch. Got her to a safe place. I went back to shut the door and flames were rolling from the ceiling to the floor in the living room there,” Smith said. “There’s no doubt in mind, if it wasn’t for the actions of these five individuals this lady would have lost her life that night.”
Linkous and Greg Polan, along with a Riner Volunteer Firefighter, also received another award as selected by the Vocational Service Committee.
“Blacksburg Volunteer Firefighters, Fred Linkous, and Greg Polan were honored by the Rotary Club of Blacksburg for the Club’s 2023 First Responder of the Year Award along with Mike King of Riner Volunteer Fire Dept,” as stated on Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook page.
