Colo. Parks & Wildlife Rangers honored for acts of valor
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(SALIDA, Colo.) — Nine Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers were honored for acts of valor and life-saving acts on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, by the Park Law Enforcement Association (PLEA).
Two CPW rangers received the PLEA Valor Award and seven received the PLEA Life Saving Award, including Ranger Jeffrey Hammond of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area in Salida. Ranger Hammond rescued a woman from a vehicle submerged in a freezing river.
The car left U.S. Highway 50 in Bighorn Canyon east of Salida and fell into the river, trapping the driver and ejecting a passenger. Hammond led the rescue, swimming to the car in a swift water rescue suit. He then forced the car door open and rescued the driver, using a rope system and the help of several first responders on the shore. The woman had a head trauma and hypothermia.
“The steps taken by (Ranger) Hammond deserve to be recognized and his actions helped save the life of the driver,” said Carl Nielsen, Executive Director of PLEA.
Visit CPW’s website to read the other stories of valor and life-saving efforts by all nine CPW rangers recognized by PLEA.
Another rescue involved a woman and her 4-year-old child who fell from a paddleboard. The woman was floating face down in the water when Jeff Walters, Justine Butchart, and Courtney Harris, rangers at Harvey Gap State Park, pulled them from the water. The rangers revived the woman with life-saving measures.
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