PRESS RELEASE
CCSO DEPUTY SHERIFF RECEIVES 2018 GOVERNOR’S PUBLIC SAFETY AWARD
CRISP COUNTY- December 4, 2018
Crisp County Sheriff’s Office is extremely proud of Deputy Lance Spurling for being a recipient of the 2018 Governor’s Public Safety Award. Deputy Lance Spurling was nominated for his June 6, 2018 Act of Heroism which resulted in the protection of life and property.
The Governor’s Public Safety Awards Program (GPSA) was initiated in 1998 in order to provide an opportunity for the men and women in the public safety family to be recognized for outstanding service to their communities and contributions to their profession As per Governor Miller, “While we have appropriately honored those who have fallen in the line of duty, I would like to establish a program that honors those who by virtue of their personal integrity and determination make public safety the respectable profession it is.” To this end, the Governor’s Public Safety Awards Program recognizes (1) those men and women who have gone “above and beyond the call of duty” to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Georgia and (2) those who have made significant contributions to their profession.
Deputy Lance Spurling transformed compassion into action on June 6, 2018. Deputy Spurling spent his day off like many others in Crisp County, out on Lake Blackshear fishing. Around 6:00 PM he spotted flames from the back of a vessel close to the Lake Blackshear Marina, and regardless of all associated risks he voluntarily drove his personal boat towards the fire. The fire grew before Deputy Spurling, and his fishing buddy was able to attempt to extinguish it. However, they were able to help one passenger out of the water, another out of the boat, and transport both to the Marina dock without injury.
Due to the proximity of the fully engulfed vessel to our Lake Blackshear Marina containment became the next priority. Deputy Spurling transported Crisp County Fire personnel to the engulfed vessel in attempts to extinguish the fire. Through teamwork with Crisp County Fire, Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, and DNR the fire was extinguished.
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