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March 22, 2001 <br /> <br />A work session meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia, was <br /> <br />held to review the Fire Department on March 22, 2001, in the Council Chamber of the <br /> <br />Municipal Building, beginning at 10:12 A. M., with Mayor Mark Crabtree presiding. <br /> <br />Council Members present included: Mark A. Crabtree, Mayor; M. Gene Teague, Vice <br /> <br />Mayor; and Council Members Bruce H. T. Dallas, J. Ronald Ferrill, and Terry L. Roop. <br /> <br />Jerry Brock, Fire Chief, .stated, "On December 28, 2000, I received a call from my <br /> <br />son, Joseph Clark Brock, stating that Denton Music was on fire and someone was still in <br /> <br />the upstairs apartment. He and Dennis Lamont Carter broke the door down and <br /> <br />rescued the disabled resident after three attempts." Coundl Member Ferrill moved to <br /> <br />adopt the following Resolution; the motion was duly seconded and carded by the <br /> <br />following vote, with all members voting: Vote 5 - 0; Yeas (5) - Crabtree, Dallas, Fen'ill, <br /> <br />Roop, Teague; Nays (0) - None: <br /> <br />WHEREAS, on December 28, 2000, Joseph Clark Brock and <br />Dennis Lamont Carter, strangers to each other, were traveling, <br />independently, on Memorial Boulevard in Martinsville, Virginia. After <br />seeing what appeared to be smoke coming from Denton's Music <br />Company located at 15 Henry Street, both individuals opted to <br />investigate. Unbeknown, the building had a raging fire brewing <br />while Mr. Elmer Deal was inside an upstairs apartment fearing for <br />his life. <br />WHEREAS, Mr. Brock initiated a telephone call to the Martinsville- <br />Henry County E 9-1-1 Center. While the Martinsville Fire <br />Department was responding, Mr. Deal frantically broke an upstairs <br />window and began pleading for assistance. <br />WHEREAS, both Mr. Brock and Mr. Carter, through the cries for <br />help, knew that they were Mr. Deal's lifeline to safety. Without <br />hesitation, both Mr. Brock and Mr. Carter forced open a kitchen door <br />to attempt a rescue. As the door opened, thick, black smoke <br />emerged. Both samaritans, acting as a team and without any <br />professional training, took the unselfish and genuine initiative to <br />enter the dark and potentially lethal atmosphere. <br />WHEREAS, after being overcome by smoke on two occasions, the <br />two individuals refused to allow Mr. Deal to succumb to the intense <br />fire. On the third attempt of crawling on their hands and knees, Mr. <br /> <br /> <br />