First responders from Bellevue, Cold Spring, Newport, Southgate and Wilder donated their time to aid those in need in Western Kentucky after the devastating tornado hit late last year.
At the Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting on Wednesday, those first responders were honored with a citation of heroism.
“I would like to thank the mayors of Campbell County and in a number of specific communities who were willing to loan their team members to help fellow Kentuckians and were also supportive of the training that was necessary well in advance to put those team members in a position to help our fellow Kentuckians,” Judge/Executive Steve Pendery said. “The Bellevue mayor Charlie Cleves, Coldspring Mayor David Angelo Penque, Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli, Southgate Mayor Jim Hamberg and Wilder Mayor Bob Arnold.”
In December 2021, a tornado with 215mph winds swept through the area. The tornado was categorized between an F4 and F5 tornado — an F5 is the worst a tornado can get. More than 70 people were killed, and more than 1,000 properties were destroyed, making it the most catastrophic disaster in the history of the state of Kentucky. You can read about more first responders from Northern Kentucky here.
“First responders from each of the cities that I just mentioned deployed to assist in the western part of our Commonwealth,” Pendery said. “A pretty long swath of damage was done across Western Kentucky. Our community first responders assisted with things like patrolling areas if they were law enforcement folks, damage assessment, hazardous material mitigation, escorting donations to the places needed, Civil Air Patrol and the relocation of the heavily damaged Mayfield Fire Department.”
The citation was given by The House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to recognize and honor the Campbell County first responders for demonstrating extraordinary courage, compassion, and professional skill in a most critical time of need.
“I can’t tell you how impressed I was with the fact that having gotten regular reports on what was going on frequently,” Pendery said. “our people were put in overall charge of operations throughout the affected area. And that came about because, you know, disasters happen, only rarely are people well trained and have reputations that precede them to the point where others look to them for leadership when the worst has happened.”
The members recognized were:
Bellevue Police Department
Jon McClain, Chief
Isaiah Schneider, Police Officer
Shelby Tekulve, Police Officer
Cold Spring Police Department
Brian Steffen, Police Officer
Newport Fire and EMS
Adam Peddicord, Battalion Chief
Roy East, Engineer/Medic
Nick Brown, Engineer
Michael Pohlman, Engineer
Jake Schultz, Fire/Medic
Rob Braun, Firefighter
Southgate Police Department
John Christmann, Chief
Dave Fillhardt, Police Officer
Southgate Fire Department
Matthew Creed, Lieutenant/ Paramedic
Wilder Police
Chad Martin, chief
Ryan Miller, Police Officer
Cameron Holland, Police Officer
