Van Oort, Miller recognized

Two of Purcell’s finest were recognized for heroic actions during last week’s Purcell City Council meeting.

Sgt. Josh Van Oort and Officer Joshua Miller were both honored with Life Saving Awards for their recent actions in the field.

On November 8 Miller was dispatched at 10:41 p.m. to a road rage shooting that occurred on I-35.

Miller found the vehicle at mile marker 100.

Inside the vehicle was a very distraught, crying female.

Miller observed the victim had been shot in the lower left leg.

Staying calm and trying to comfort the victim, Miller properly applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding from the woman’s leg and kept telling her to breath.

Miller stayed with the victim until EMS personnel arrived.

In his recommendation to Police Chief Bobby Elmore, Patrol Captain Jeffery A. Hixon said, “Officer Miller played a vital role in saving this citizen’s life and has lived up to the Purcell Police Department’s motto: “A Commitment to Excellence.”

Hixon continued saying, “This singularly distinctive accomplishment of Ofc. Miller reflects great credit upon himself and the City of Purcell. Congratulations on a job well done and for the great example that you set for your fellow peers.”

Just a few days later on November 21 Van Oort was dispatched to Mix Salon at 2:20 p.m. where an unresponsive female was found laying on her back in a salon chair with her head in a hair washing sink and her mouth open.

Van Oort surmised she was suffering from a drug overdose and gave her a dose of Narcan nasal spray and  began a sternum rub.

She roused briefly but went back to an unconscious state when Van Oort administered a second dose of Narcan and continued the sternum rub until EMS arrived.

He assisted EMS to get the stretcher into the salon beside Alicia Hokott and assisted in getting her into the ambulance.

“Officer Van Oort played a vital role in saving this citizen’s life and has lived up to the Purcell Police Department’s motto: “A Commitment to Excellence,” Hixon said in his recommendation letter to Chief Elmore.

Hixon continued saying, “This singularly distinctive accomplishment of Sgt. Van Oort reflects great credit upon himself and the City of Purcell. Congratulations on a job well done and for the great example that you set for your fellow peers.”

Elmore endorsed and approved both recommendations from Hixon.