Prattville’s Swift Water Rescue Team receives high honors at City Council  

Malia Riggs  

Elmore Autauga News 

The Prattville City Council along with Senator Clyde Chambliss, Representative Van Smith, Kelvin Lawrence and Jerry Starnes honored and recognized the brave men of the Prattville Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team who jumped into action after the widespread destruction of Hurricane Helene.  

Senator Chambliss and Representatives Smith, Lawrence and Starnes presented a resolution from the Alabama House of Representatives, thanking the seven men for not only their bravery but their heroic actions as well.  

The seven man team consists of Assistant Chief Ricky Roberts, Captain Troy Aadson, Captain Nicolas Wirshing who was not in attendance, Captain Clay Pegues, Sergeant Kenny Barber, Sergeant Trent Salter and Fire Medic Josh Shedd 

The members of the Swift Water Rescue Team volunteered, with very little notice, to lend their services and were transported by helicopter to Garren Creek, eastern North Carolina for search and rescue, welfare checks and other operations on Sept 27.  

In a previous update from Fire Chief Josh Bingham, Bingham stated the teams were searching for 12-14 or more hours per day through treacherous conditions and little to no cell service.  

Wednesday evening Bingham confirmed that the team spent nine days searching through disastrous terrain and providing support to the people of the Garren Creek area. Bingham not only thanked the members of his team but their families as well.  

“Thank you for your service, thank you for your dedication, and everything that you do for this city and for North Carolina. You all stood up, not knowing what you were walking into and put your lives on the line for other people. Thank you,” Starnes said.  

After receiving their honors, Roberts thanked everyone for the presentation of the honors and also thanked Bingham, the City of Prattville, the Prattville City Council and Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie for entrusting them to learn the skills in order to be able to help in situations such as Helene.  

“It’s one of those things that we go to all these classes, and we prepare, and we don’t think we’ll ever see anything of that magnitude and be put in that situation. We were prepared, and we appreciate you believing in us during our deployment. You all deserve the recognition just as much as we do,” Roberts said.