By Stephen Smoot
In the near 100-year history of the West Virginia State Police, countless have risen above the call of duty. With bravery and skill, they help to maintain the public order, protect property, and preserve life.
Recently, the State of West Virginia honored troopers from around the state for meritorious service. Two troopers from Pendleton County were among those honored.
“Not very often that we can come together like this to honor some West Virginia State troopers who have done a tremendous job in sacrifice, showing commitment and bravery, courage, as these troopers today have done,” Maj. James Mitchell, WVSP Chief of Staff Services, said of the awards to WOWK in Huntington.
First, Corporal Jacob M. Hebb received the West Virginia State Police Lifesaving Medal. Hebb’s “fast and effective actions” saved the life of a motorist. On Sept. 2, 2023, while conducting a road patrol, Joshua Gates drove up to Hebb and let him know that he had a severe axe wound on his leg.
Hebb quickly applied a tourniquet to reduce the flow of blood. Knowing of “the limited availability of medical services, he took the victim in his cruiser to Grant memorial Hospital in Petersburg, from which Gates was flown to Winchester Medical Trauma Center in Winchester, Virginia.
Almost two months later, another quick and skillful response from a West Virginia State Trooper saved a life – this time of a man suffering from a serious heart attack. At about 10:45 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2023, Senior Trooper Kevin C. Raymond responded to a call that dispatched him to the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles facility in Franklin.
Raymond approached the victim, Jeffery Apicella. After examining him, Raymond determined that he was suffering from a heart attack. He administered an Automated External Defibrillation and performed CPR for about a half an hour. Once stabilized, the victim was flown to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.
For his timely and skilled actions, Raymond received the West Virginia State Police Lifesaving Medal.
Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services coordinator, expressed his appreciation for the troopers’ actions and service to the community. He said, “Being a retired WVSP Captain, I am very proud of Cpl. Hebb and Sr. Tpr. Raymond.”
“All law enforcement officers play a very important role as public safety professionals,” Gillespie added, also saying, “They make many sacrifices that some may take for granted or be unaware of. Ordinarily, someone is either on-duty, or available for call-out 24/7/365 at either the state police detachment or the sheriff’s department. Each one of these officers has taken an oath to protect and serve and to defend the Constitutions of the United States and the State of West Virginia. They are the public’s first line of defense beyond self-defense.”
He concluded by saying, “We are fortunate to live in an area where the large majority of the public supports our law enforcement as well as the entire first-responder community and that is very good!”
