Mo. paramedic awarded Medal of Valor for daring rescue

By EMS1 Staff

VILLA RIDGE, Mo. — A paramedic was one of 10 first responders who were awarded the Medal of Valor this week.

"Each of these officers ignored extraordinary dangers to themselves, and instead thought only of the lives of others — people they had never met but who they have a solemn duty to protect," Gov. Jay Nixon said during the ceremony Monday. 

Meramec Ambulance paramedic Jordan V. Selsor was recognized for his efforts during a rescue, in which a victim was trapped in a vehicle that was quickly filling with floodwater, reported the EMissourian. Dispatchers lost contact with the victim once the water reached the victim's neck.

Since no other responders were at the scene, Selsor and another paramedic donned a lifevest and broke the rear window of the partially submerged vehicle. 

Although more water rushed into the vehicle, Selsor climbed onto the roof of the car to break the sunroof window. Due to the water's clouded nature, Selsor blindly pulled the victim out through the sunroof. Selsor then waited with the victim in knee-high water until rescue crews transported them to shore. 

The victim was treated for hypothermia; Selsor sustained numerous superficial cuts and abrasions.

"The Medal of Valor recipients carry out brace, decisive and selfless acts to protect the lives of other and make our communities safe. We should all be grateful for our outstanding public safety officers and they sacrifices they make to protect us." Gov. Nixon said.

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