From Rebecca W. Thomas, Communications Coordinator
Autauga County Schools
Robby Johnson, Autauga County Sheriff Deputy and Marbury High School’s School Resource Officer, was awarded The Alabama Association of School Resource Officers (TAASRO) Life Saving Award for his heroic actions and exemplary service while on duty at the high school on January 12, 2023.
This award is given to an SRO or school staff member for the act of saving a life and is presented during the organization’s annual Safe Schools Conference.
Deputy Johnson was monitoring the path of the deadly tornado as he diligently worked to protect the school’s 560 students when an emergency literally drove into the parking lot, and the rest, they say, is history. A resident of north Autauga County was transporting three tornado victims in his pickup truck, one of which was severely injured, when he made the life-saving decision to stop at Marbury High School for hopeful medical assistance. Deputy Johnson made an initial observation and immediately began applying the medical assistance that ultimately saved a life.
“Deputy Johnson observed an adult male with a large puncture wound in his right arm and was bleeding profusely. {He} retrieved his first aid kit and applied pressure to the right arm to slow the bleeding,” said Brett Abbott, a fellow School Resource Officer and the one who nominated Johnson for this award. “This victim was in his mobile home, was flipped multiple times, and was impaled through the arm with a steel pipe. Deputy Johnson used his tourniquet to slow the bleeding, and after assessing the other victims, Deputy Johnson returned to this victim and placed additional bandages to his arm. He also tightened the tourniquet to the maximum to control the bleeding.”
The massive tornado decimated parts of north Autauga County leaving a war-like path of destruction severely limiting accessibility and spreading thin first responders from across the River Region.
Deputy Johnson administered first aid treatment for 45 minutes until an ambulance was able to transport all three victims to the hospital for further treatment. His emergency training and quick action allowed all three victims to make a full recovery without any complications. In the days after the tornado, Deputy Johnson and his Autauga County Sheriff’s Department colleagues aided in the search, rescue, and security of the impacted areas.
“Robby is everything that is commendable and worthy of of a School Resource Officer,” said Tony Camara, Coordinator of Operations for Autauga County Schools. “As the one charged with safety and security in our school district, I rely on these guys to keep our students and employees safe in everyday and extraordinary situations. Deputy Johnson’s immediate instinctual action in the midst of chaos is the very thing that we need in today’s unpredictable world.”
Photos Attached: Deputy Robby Johnson receiving award at TAASRO Conference alongside family.
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About Autauga County Schools
Autauga County Schools (ACS) is a 14-campus public school system in Autauga County, Alabama dedicated to providing excellent educational experiences for all students to be successful in life. Learn more at acboe.net.
