Date 12/15/06 

            Two Elberton men have received life saving recognition from the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office for there heroic efforts in freeing two people from a burning car. Billy Grimes and Steven Floyd were recognized on Friday and presented with the Life Saving Award by Sheriff Barry Haston.

            On the night of 11/30/2006 a call was received into the Central Dispatch Center concerning a motor vehicle accident on the Pulliam Mill Road. Elbert County deputies responded to the scene along with Elbert County EMS and the Elbert County Fire Department. After the emergency units had arrived they learned that the vehicle had struck a utility pole causing the vehicle to catch on fire entrapping two occupants.

Floyd and Grimes had been alerted to the accident by the power going off. When they went to see what had happened they discovered that a vehicle had struck a utility pole causing the power outage. They also discovered that the vehicle was on fire and there was two occupants trapped inside. Grimes called 911 as Floyd attempted to break into one of the windows. After several unsuccessful attempts Floyd and Grimes were able to break the back window and free the trapped occupants. Sheriff Haston advised that the quick thinking and disregard for their own safety saved the two lives.

            The certificates which were framed read: In appreciation for the heroic efforts you displayed on the 30^th day of November in the year of 2006 where two lives were spared that were involved in an auto accident occurring on the Pulliam Mill Road in Elbert County. This recognition is based on the courage that you displayed in risking your life for the aid and service to others.  

Third Grader called a  "HERO"

The eight year old, a third grader at Beaverdam Elementary School, was hailed as a hero Thursday for helping save his grandmother from possibly drowning in a family fish pond on Country Club Road.

Gatlin was presented a Life Saving Award by Elbert County Sheriff Barry Haston in front of his classmates Thursday at Beaverdam. The award is the third-highest that a county sheriff can bestow on a citizen.
“He turned a bad situation into a life-saving situation,” Haston said.
Gatlin’s heroic day - Sept. 5 - began as a good one.
He was out of school. He had spent the night with his grandmother, Mary Brown, and the pair planned on their favorite pastime together: fishing.
They gathered their gear, piled into a Kawasaki Mule (a big version of a golf cart) and headed to the family fishing pond.

Just as they reached the pond, it began to rain. Gatlin and Mary started to head back home.
Mary, who was driving, said she doesn’t really know what happened next. She thinks her foot must have slipped off the brake pedal and hit the gas.
The Mule hit a pole and then turned over into the pond.
“It was a blow too,” Mary said of the lick against the pole. “When I got up, I couldn’t get out.”
Mary was trapped in the Mule in thigh-deep water. She hurt her ribs and broke her right arm.
“I thought, ‘I’ve got to get up here with Gatlin,’” Mary said.
But Gatlin was the one that got up and out.
He scrambled up the seat and out the left side of the Mule, which was sticking up in the air.
“He said, ‘Granny, I got to get you some help,’” Mary said.
Gatlin said he climbed out and set off walking with his knee hurting.

“I couldn’t hardly walk,” he said.
He walked 450-500 yards to the home of relative Barry Herring and rang the door bell.
Herring was in the back of the house on the computer, he said. By the time he got to the door, Gatlin had already gone to find someone else.
“He was in a state of panic,” Herring said.
Gatlin’s next stop was Barry’s mother’s house next door, about 150 yards away.
He rang the bell for Eva Herring.
“You’ve got to come quick, real quick,” Eva said Gatlin yelled. “My Granny’s in the fish pond.”
Eva got to the phone and called Barry and sent him toward the pond as she and Gatlin got in a vehicle to head back that way.
Mary said that while Gatlin was gone, she “sat down there and cried.”
In 15-20 minutes, help arrived.
“He was moving on, boy,” Mary said of her grandson.
Barry Herring said that when he got to the pond, Mary was trapped.
Barry said he used a ladder to help Mary pull herself up and then eventually got her out of the open side of the Mule. A windshield and back panel kept anyone from getting out of the vehicle anyway but up, Barry said.
He was impressed by Gatlin’s response to the emergency.
“It’s amazing that he had enough wits about him,” Barry said.
“We are very thankful to the Lord because he was truly with us,” Eva Herring said.
Gatlin said it felt good to be able to help his grandmother.
On Tuesday, the sheriff and his family honored him in front of his classmates.
“I like it,” Gatlin said of the plaque the sheriff presented to him.
“He was very brave and helped to save the life of his grandmother,” Lt. Jamie Callaway said.
“Gatlin, we appreciate what you did,” Sheriff Haston said. “We’re very proud of you.”