'This is a team effort': Sons of the American Revolution honor first responders for heroic acts

Collier County Sheriff officers took off their duty gear, jumped into a lake and saved a man who was trapped inside a sinking vehicle.

A Crime Prevention Specialist with the sheriff's office threw her body in between a closing door to help save a woman who was forced into a car after being pulled from a store.

These are just two of the heroic acts highlighted during the Sons of the American Revolution Public Service Awards on Thursday.

The ceremony began with two new members getting inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution.

Law enforcement, fire and rescue and emergency medical services personnel were all awarded after the luncheon.

Collier County Sheriff's Corporal David Crisp said the agency is a reflection of the community, and they were just doing their job.

Crisp helped save the man in the lake.

"This is a team effort," he said.

There were many other people who helped make saving that man possible who were not at Thursday's ceremony, Crisp said.

Connie Ledbetter, Crime Prevention Specialist, is a civilian employee with the Collier County Sheriff's Office. She saw a woman kicking and screaming as a man shoved her into his truck.

Ledbetter put her body between the driver's closing door and yelled to the woman to get out. 

Together, Ledbetter and the woman ran into the store and called for police.

Assistant Director for Southwest Florida Public Service Academy Gene Sims said at the end of the ceremony how great it was to see so many faces who used to be students at the academy receiving awards.

"It makes us so proud as an academy to see previous recruits get awarded for heroic deeds," Sims said.

Sons of the American Revolution President Leonard Crame said the Naples chapter has been providing these service awards every November since the 1970s. 

2019 SAR Public Service Awards

• Collier County 20th Judicial Circuit Judge Hugh Hayes - Bronze Good Citizenship Medal
• Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Andrew Sackmann - Law Enforcement Commendation Medal
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal Josh White - Law Enforcement Commendation Medal
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Communications Supervisor Danielle Bower - Law Enforcement Commendation Medal
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal Christopher Carpenter - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal Michael Chapman - Medal for Heroism 
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal David Crisp - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Deputy Nathan Kirk - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal David Russell - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Deputy Daniel Vasquez - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Deputy Joseph Lancia - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal Uriel Mendoza - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Deputy Robert Pounds - Medal for Heroism 
• Collier County Sheriff's Office Corporal Daniel McCoy - Medal for Heroism
• Collier County Sheriff'e Office Crime Prevention Specialist Connie Ledbetter - Medal for Heroism
• Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Fire Inspector Michael Bays - Fire Safety Commendation Medal
• Collier County Emergency Medical Services Company Officer Jackie Lockerby - EMS Commendation Award