D-F police sergeant presented with State of Maine Lifesaving Medal of Valor
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Dover-Foxcroft Police Sgt. Todd Lyford was honored by the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department for his actions during a fiery car crash in late July. Lyford was presented with the State of Maine Lifesaving Medal of Valor by Fire Chief Joe Guyotte for his actions in pulling the driver out of the vehicle at great risk to himself, during a department meeting on Oct. 1 at the fire station.
Guyotte said members of the fire department gathered upstairs at the fire station probably were likely all aware of the July 30 incident on the Greeley’s Landing Road in which a car went off the travelway about 25 feet down the roadside embankment into a stand of trees with the driver — a 65-year-old Dover-Foxcroft resident — trapped inside and the vehicle catching on fire. Police believe she experienced a medical issue that caused her to leave the road.
“My true belief is the lady wouldn’t have lived if it hadn’t have been for this gentleman Todd going above and beyond the call of duty, life saving, the whole works,” Guyotte said with Lyford standing next to him at the front of the room.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
LIFESAVING MEDAL OF VALOR — Dover-Foxcroft Police Department Sgt. Todd Lyford, left, is presented with the State of Maine Lifesaving Medal of Valor from Fire Chief Joe Guyotte during an Oct. 1 fire department meeting. Lyford was recognized for his actions in pulling the driver out of the vehicle at great risk to himself while responding to a late July fiery car crash on the Greeley’s Landing Road.
The chief said Lyford first went to one side of the vehicle with it on fire to try to get the driver out. Unable to do so, Lyford went around to the other side and used two fire extinguishers to hold back the flames in order to remove the woman from the wreckage.
The driver was transported to the hospital and she died after a 10-day hospitalization.
“But Todd this is a State of Maine Lifesaving Medal of Valor,” Guyotte said. “This is a valor medal that’s presented to anyone that we feel is justified.
“It’s not just a pat on the back and it’s not a plaque on the wall so you sir put that on your dress uniform sometime when you want to get good recognition. We appreciate what you’ve done and you’re a good firefighter, you know that.”
“Thank you very much,” Lyford said after those present gave him a standing ovation. He said he previously had been a member of Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department.
“I started here a long time ago and I did it for Milo for 20 years and loved every minute of it,” Lyford said.
In August Lyford was honored by the town with a formal award of valor to recognize his heroic and selfless actions.