The Buckhead Business Association on July 18 honored Atlanta police and firefighters with its annual public safety awards.
Mark Shaver, the organization’s vice president of public safety, introduced the three Public Safety Award winners: Investigator William J. Lyons of Atlanta Police Department Zone 2; Deputy Yolanda Marshall of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department; and Firefighter Adolphus Henderson of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department.
Marshall was nominated for the award for helping a fellow corrections officer who was choking. She instructed all inmates to return to their cells for safety before performing the Heimlich maneuver to save her colleague who was unable to breathe.
Shaver said the public safety awards don’t just recognize the officers who catch the bad guys.
“It’s all kinds of acts of heroism, large and small,” Shaver said. “Sometimes it’s the small, quiet things that will never make the newspaper but they make a difference.”
Shaver read a letter from Henderson’s nominating officer, who said he deserved the recognition not for one act of bravery, but his continual positive contributions to the department.
After recovering from a nearly fatal motorcycle accident, Henderson put all of his efforts toward his job and volunteering for new responsibilities.
“He returned back to duty with a renewed spirit and developed an unrelenting drive to learn,” Shaver said. “He turned his misfortunes into opportunities for growth and change.”
Lyons was recommended for the public safety award by Maj. Van Hobbs, the commander who oversees Buckhead’s Zone 2.
In a span of two weeks, there were four robbery/kidnappings where suspects kidnapped victims and forced them withdraw money from ATMs. Hobbs said Lyons worked long hours to identify the suspects.
“Detective Lyons was assigned all four of these cases because of his attention to detail,” Shaver said. “Great police work and team effort led by Detective Lyons has lead to a strong case with an indictment.”
The Buckhead Business Association also recognized one of its own.
Board member Karen Losin was presented the Karl A. Bevins Service Award.
According to the Buckhead Business Association ,the service award is presented annually to an active BBA member with five or more years of membership.
The award is named for Karl Bevins, the first traffic engineer for the city of Atlanta and a long-time BBA member, according to the organization.
