As many in the community are aware, my wife Bonnie was seriously injured in an auto accident on Oct. 1 on Rt. 480 near Shepherdstown. Her life was saved by the superb emergency response efforts of the Shepherdstown Police Department and the Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department in close cooperation with other first responders. After many years in the emergency response business, it is very different being on the receiving end of this critical assistance where every minute counts and mistakes cause irreparable harm.

That the professional response and expertise of the teams that responded to help Bonnie was outstanding goes without question. In such efforts, “how you do things” is as important as “what you do.” In this case the thoughtfulness and compassion of Chief David Ransom made a tremendous difference in keeping my wife calm during the 40 minutes that she was trapped in the vehicle. His courage in sharing the blast effect of deploying air bags and shattering glass, while protecting her from further injury was certainly above and beyond the call of duty. His calm and deliberate notification that she was involved in a serious accident, was injured and was being flown out to a trauma facility was comforting and reassuring. It allowed me to alert my family and quickly arrive at the emergency room fully prepared to stay with her and provide critical emotional support.

We are in good hands here in Shepherdstown. These police, fire and emergency medical personnel (such as Chief Ransom) deserve our appreciation and active support. I can’t think of any better way to say “Thanks.”

Mike Austin

Shepherdstown