Honoring Local Heroes at the Arlington Chamber's 33rd Annual Valor Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2015

MEDIA: Meredith Smith

Communications Manager

703-525-2400
[email protected]

High-resolution images available upon request

LOCAL HEROES HONORED

AT THE 33rd ANNUAL VALOR AWARDS

Presented by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce

The 2015 Valor Award Honorees with Chief Scott

Arlington, VA - The Arlington Chamber of Commerce held the annual 33rd Annual Valor Awards on Wednesday, April 15, 2014 at the Fort Myer Officers' Club. The awards ceremony was held to honor the exemplified extraordinary heroic actions of Arlington County Public Safety personnel including the Arlington County Police Department, Fire Department, Office of the Sheriff, and Office of Emergency Management.

The honorees were recognized for their courageous, often lifesaving actions in the line of duty. More than one hundred and seventy attendees of the Valor Awards heard many testimonies of selfless acts of heroism. The men and women of Arlington were applauded for their commitment to protecting the families, neighbors and community.

Detective Darrel Taber and Corporals Brian Ames and Ryan Allen are presented their awards.

One group of honorees from the Arlington County Police Department included Corporals Brian Ames and Ryan Allen and Detective Darrel Taber. On January 16, 2015, the Emergency Communications Center was contacted by Care Crisis Chat about a suicidal subject they were communicating with via live chat. Because of a shared IP address on an Arlingtonic Public Schools issued device, Care Crisis Chat could not identify the exact user. Detective Taber, of the computer forensics unit, was working off-duty and was contacted to help find information necessary to locate the juvenile. After an hour and twenty minutes of searching, Corporals Allen and Ames located the student at the address found with the help of Detective Taber. The exhaustive efforts of Detective Taber and Corporals Ames and Allen helped locate a young man in crisis and got him the medical care needed to save his life. This incident is a very good example of dedicated county employees using new methods and technologies to overcome challenges.

This year, the Chamber also honored Arlington County Chief of Police M. Douglas Scott who retired in March following a 40-year career in law enforcement, including 12 years as Arlington County Chief of Police.

" Chief Scott has truly done an excellent job serving the Arlington community," said Chamber President & CEO Kate Roche. "He has been a longtime friend to the Chamber and the Arlington business community. He will be missed and fondly remembered, but his legacy will live on through the great work of the Arlington County Police Department."

President & CEO Kate Roche, 2015 Chair Kevin Shooshan, and Chief M. Douglas Scott

Leadership of all respective departments submitted nominations for Valor Award honorees based on their performance over the past year. A selection committee chose the final winners, which were honored at the ceremony. The 2015 Arlington Chamber of Commerce Valor Award Honorees are as follows:

Arlington County Office of Emergency Management

Police Captain Bonnie Regan - Meritorious Service Award

Arlington County Office of the Sheriff

Major Michael Pinson - Meritorious Service Award

Corporal Phyllis Henderson - Life-Saving Award

Corporal Edwin Hill - Life-Saving Award

(R-L) Chief Jim Schwartz, Firefighter/EMT Chad Aldridge and his wife, President & CEO Kate Roche

Arlington County Police Department

K9 Corporal Aaron Tingle - Meritorious Service Award

Corporal Brian Ames - Life-Saving Award

Corporal Ryan Allen - Life-Saving Award

Detective Darrel Taber - Life-Saving Award

Arlington County Fire Department

Medical Director Dr. Reed Smith - Meritorious Service Award

Firefighter/EMT Taylor Brown - Life-Saving Award

Captain Craig Brightbill - Valor Award

Firefighter/EMT Chad Aldridge - Valor Award

Firefighter/EMT John Hirte - Valor Award

The ceremony began with a Presentation of the Colors by a combined Color Guard, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Lieutenant Colonel John Orille, Deputy Commander, Joint Base of Myer-Henderson Hall. Chamber Chair Kevin Shooshan of The Shooshan Company welcomed guests to the event, then introduced emcee Doug Hill, Vice President, Weather and Chief Meteorologist for ABC7/WJLA-TV and News Channel 8.

For more information about the awards ceremony, detailed information on the honorees or high-resolution photographs, please contact Meredith Smith, Communications Manager, at (703) 525-2400 or [email protected].

Special thanks to this year's sponsors, including Grand Sponsor Virginia Hospital Center and Select Sponsor Dominion, Premier Sponsors, Bank of Georgetown, Cardinal Bank, John Marshall Bank and Murphy Funeral Homes, Benefactor Sponsors, INOVA Health System, United Bank, and Patron Sponsor, Graham Holdings Company, for making this ceremony possible.

ABOUT THE CHAMBER

Founded in 1924, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce is a member-centric, volunteer-based, non-profit organization of over 1,800 business and professional people committed to the economic and civic well being of the community. For more information or to become a member, visit www.arlingtonchamber.org.

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