Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award 2023 Class, awarded on Sept. 12, 2024

Joshua Dunn, nominated by Missouri State Park Rangers

On September 2, 2023, a visitor to Montauk State Park accidently cut himself in his upper leg with a filet knife, causing a deep laceration that resulted in a life-threatening loss of blood. A bystander, Joshua Dunn, sprang to action and quickly fashioned a makeshift tourniquet, which, when applied with sterile gauze, stopped the bleeding. Mr. Dunn tended to the victim until EMS arrived and took over. A helicopter evacuated the victim to a medical facility. Because of the severity of the wound and the loss of blood, Mr. Dunn’s care along with assistance from a State Park Ranger and the Montauk Fire Department likely saved the victim’s life.

Louis Miklovic, nominated by Missouri State Park Rangers

On September 1, 2023, tragedy struck during an annual family camping trip to Washington State Park, on the border of Washington and Jefferson counties. Joshua Miklovic and his two sons had hiked into Big Foot Cave. As they exited the cave, six-year-old Peter lost his footing and was teetering off the edge of the bluff. Joshua attempted to pull Peter back, but father and son fell 80 feet off the bluff and then tumbled down another 100 feet of steep, rocky terrain. Eleven-year-old Louis immediately sprinted to the trail head parking lot, found a park ranger, and the urgent need for help. He then led State Park Ranger Jacob Jenkins to a location where they could observe his father and brother. While Ranger Jenkins called for additional assistance, Louis used his cellphone to explain what had occurred to other family members. While Peter was alert with no major injuries, his father had suffered a broken back, severe head laceration and a concussion. First responders created a rope system and rappelled to the victims. The only way to evacuate Joshua, who was in critical condition, was to lower him down the bluff to the Big River and then use a small boat to transport him to a park beach and then fly him by helicopter to a hospital. Peter had a minor head laceration that required nine staples. Joshua required multiple surgeries and 150 stitches to close a nine-inch head laceration and continues to recover. Despite the trauma of witnessing his father and brother fall from the bluff, Louis immediately went for help, provided complete and accurate information to rangers, remained calm throughout the ordeal, and continued to share helpful information with first responders.

Destiny Brant, nominated by Matthews Volunteer Fire Department

On the afternoon of Sunday, August 6, 2023, a vehicle with five people inside rolled over on rain-soaked Highway H, one-half mile west of Matthews. The overturned vehicle landed in a flooded ditch. Destiny Brant, who had just graduated from college a few weeks earlier, and her mother were driving to their home in Canalou when they spotted the overturned vehicle in the floodwater. Without regard for her own safety, Brant entered the ditch, swam through four-foot-deep water and pulled two children from the vehicle. Upon arrival, Matthews’ firefighters quickly went to work and extricated the three others still entrapped in the vehicle. All five victims recovered from minor injuries. Brant, who had just left Sunday church services, courageously acted as a true Good Samaritan.