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VA Police Officers Credited with Saving Family After Collision
Quick action by Poplar Bluff VA officers turns accident scene into a life-saving operation.
✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Marble Hill, MO
MARBLE HILL, Mo. Four VA police officers from the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center are being hailed as heroes after they responded to a serious two-vehicle crash while en route to a firing range training session. Lieutenants John Pruett and Phillip Schalk, Corporal Terrell McCollough, and Officer Blaine Murrell arrived to find an adult and six children seriously injured. McCollough, a licensed practical nurse, immediately began triaging victims while Pruett retrieved medical supplies. Murrell, with 20 years of paramedic experience, assumed command of triage when he arrived, directing treatment and prioritization until EMS arrived. Their coordination allowed four ambulances to quickly stabilize and transport all victims, who survived. James Patterson, acting police chief at the VA facility, praised the teams professionalism and composure. These officers embody the professionalism of our police family, Patterson said, adding that Murrells leadership ensured effective collaboration under pressure. The officers were honored for turning a chaotic and dangerous situation into an organized response that likely saved multiple lives. All four credit training and teamwork for their success, emphasizing that their backgrounds in law enforcement, nursing, and paramedicine meshed perfectly in the moment.