From HighlandsToday.com

SEBRING - Some, including an 11-year-old, helped save a life. Others helped bring bad guys to justice.

On Wednesday, Highlands County Sheriff Susan Benton honored these deputies and civilians who went above and beyond the call to help others in need.

The youngest honoree, 11-year-old Kevin Taylor, earned a heroism award for his actions on July 4, when he pulled an unresponsive Raymond Moore from Lake June near Lake Placid. Moore was playing in the water with children when he lost his footing and began to struggle before disappearing under the water, sheriff's spokeswoman Nell Hays wrote. "A family member of Mr. Moore began CPR and in a few moments he started breathing," Hays wrote.

Earning special recognitions of valor were Deputy Mike Helms and Sgt. Kyle Albritton, who, along with passers-by Don Rowe and Leslie Novak, helped save the life of 65-year-old Mary Cain Martin on Sept.?8 after her minivan veered off U.S. 98 in the Spring Lake community and crashed into a tree.

The crash sparked a fire that was closing in on the unconscious Martin as Rowe tried to free her, and an unidentified man tried to control the flames, Hays wrote. The deputies arrived and helped Rowe break the seat and remove Martin after Rowe cut Martin's seatbelt.

The deputies and Rowe carried Martin to a blanket Novak had spread out. As Helms and Albritton returned to Martin's vehicle to put out the fire, "Rowe cleaned the victim's eyes, nose, and ears and otherwise rendered first aid," Hays wrote. Martin was taken by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital. She was still in the hospital as of Oct. 14 "but is expected to recover," Hays said.

A valor commendation also went to Deputy Kenneth J. Jorgensen II. On June 16, 2010, Jorgensen, who was then a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, arrived at 4628 Starfish Ave. in Sebring and found a woman "sitting on the front porch, covered in blood, with a towel wrapped around her neck," Hays wrote.

Jorgensen administered first aid to the woman, whose "throat had essentially been cut from ear to ear" by "reaching into the wound and locating the correct pressure point to stop the loss of blood as a result of a severed artery/vein."

The woman, who had lost a large amount of blood, lost consciousness but eventually recovered, Hays continued.

Jorgensen began working for the sheriff's office on Nov. 3. Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin made the sheriff's office aware of Jorgensen's life-saving actions the following April.

On May 25, paramedic Jean-Louis Zanolin said that in his opinion, if not for the quick actions of Jorgensen to stop the substantial blood loss, the victim would have bled to death, Hays wrote.

The sheriff decided to honor Jorgensen for his actions after learning that the FHP had not, and because Jorgensen responded to the incident to back up the sheriff's office and later began working for the sheriff's office.

Detention Deputies Timothy Bailes and Michael Morse and detention nurse Robin Sanders all earned merit commendations for their work saving the life of an inmate who tried to hang himself with a string April 16 at the county jail. Detention Deputy Lee Page found the inmate during a routine 15-minute check on the juvenile cell block.

The inmate had turned blue and had no detectable heartbeat, according to the sheriff.

Bailes and Morse performed CPR as they and Sanders successfully worked to revive the inmate before emergency workers arrived.

Detention Deputies Dustin Bennett, Dale Vaughan and Page also received letters of recognition for their work during and after the attempted hanging.

Deputy Wayne Gunn and Sarge, his K-9 partner, were among the 14 who received letters of recognition. On June 22, the officers responded to a residential burglary and eventually tracked down and captured the two accused of the crime. "The capture of these two … was essential to the closure of numerous other burglary cases as well," wrote Sgt. David Stuart, the sheriff's K-9 unit supervisor. "The perseverance and stamina, as well as bravery, displayed by these two deputies while tracking two suspects into the woods is a benefit to our agency and the people of Highlands County."

The sheriff also recognized the recent promotions of Chief Deputy Mark Schrader from major, Maj. Booker Johnson from captain and Capt. Tim Lethbridge from lieutenant; and honored those who had served five, 10, 15, 20 and 30 years with the department.

She also presented Distinguished Service Awards to Edward Frawley and David Wyche Jr., who have served 25 years, and to Kathleen Campbell, Charles Cooley, James Willett and Lou Wills, who have each served 30 years.