12/12/2007

The intersection of Routes 44 and 10 in Avon, Connecticut was clogged with rush hour traffic when on the morning of July 29, 2005, a west-bound, fully-loaded long-bed dump truck lost control as it descended Avon Mountain. As the truck neared the bottom it crossed into the opposite lanes to avoid the standing vehicles stopped for the traffic light at the bottom of the hill. It traveled into the intersection and the driver attempted to maneuver the vehicle back into the west-bound lanes to avoid the east-bound traffic also stopped for the signal. As it did, the truck tipped over showering the vehicles with dirt and other large debris. The truck slid on its side and struck several of the east-bound vehicles, some of which burst into flames including the dump truck.

Lieutenant Todd Myers of the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company was traveling east-bound to go over the mountain to his job as a West Hartford police officer, and was several hundred yards from the intersection when he saw the disaster start to unfold. After using his police radio to initiate an emergency response to the incident, Lieutenant Myers ran towards where the dump truck and several cars were burning. He found an unconscious victim in a badly damaged vehicle which was beginning to catch fire. As he directed bystanders to throw dirt onto the fire he freed the victim and carried them to safety, suffering burns to his arms in the process.

Todd Myers then went on to help perform CPR on another severely injured victim, and assisted in directing an airbag lift of an inverted vehicle and the extrication of the victim.

Because of his actions, West Hartford Police Chief James Strillacci submitted Officer Todd Myers to the Department of Justice for consideration for the Medal of Valor, the highest national award for valor given to a public safety officer. One-hundred and fifty-eight submissions from thirty states were reviewed by the Department of Justice and Todd Myers was one of five public safety officers to be awarded the 2005-2006 Medal of Valor.

Todd and his wife Megan traveled to Washington, D.C. where he was to receive the honor on December 12, 2007. In the morning, recipients met with Department of Justice officials and were treated to breakfast. Recipients were then given a full escort and tour of the U.S. Capitol Building before proceeding to the White House where Attorney General Michael Mukasey presented the medals in the Roosevelt Room.

The Medal of Valor recipients and their wives were then received by President Bush in the Oval Office. The President spent nearly an hour with his guests and discussed the office of the Presidency, the state of the country, and the history of, and the artifacts in the Oval Office. The recipients then returned to the Department of Justice for an additional ceremony where extended family members were invited to attend.

Todd Myers had previously been recognized by Governor M. Jodi Rell for his actions, was awarded a Citation for Bravery by the Connecticut State Firefighter's Association in September 2006, and received a Special Merit Award from the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company in February 2007. In June 2008 the Simsbury Board of Selectmen presented him with the Hometown Hero Award.