| Name: | Jeffrey Hott |
| Gender: | Male |
| Agency: | Decatur Fire Department |
| Type of Firefighter: | Career |
| Rank: | Captain |
| Type of Duty: | Water rescue operations |
| Type of Award: | Medal of Valor |
| Year of Award: | 2014 |
| Incident City: | Decatur |
| Year of Incident: | 2013 |
| Incident Location Type: | Water/Waterfront |
| Incident Attribute: |
Decatur Fire Department Captain Jeffrey Hott was awarded the Medal of Valor for his actions to save a woman who had jumped from a bridge in Decatur on April 24, 2013.
The victim was clinging to a downed tree branch in a creek after jumping from a bridge. Water levels were high, and winds were at 12 miles per hour, sweeping the woman downstream. A police officer, attached by a rope at Hott’s urging, attempted to climb another branch to reach the woman, but fell into the water next to the woman. Firefighters pulled the officer out. Hott jumped in, secured webbing around the woman, and was able to bring her close enough to shore that the firefighters could use the webbing to pull her out with a pike pole.
Citations:
“Decatur Firefighter Honored with Medal of Valor,” Herald and Review, May 7, 2014.