A firefighter's "compassion" and "ability to lead" were recognized by Fire Chief Mike Mixon and the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, as they recently honored Samantha Mikesell as the First Responder of the Month.
Mikesell was showered with praise at the Chamber's Feb. 21 luncheon at Alhambra Hall, with Mixon sharing how the third-year first responder "hit the ground running" from day one by winning Rookie of the Year.
But beyond her courage and drive, the fire chief singled out the compassion shown by the paramedic-in-training in trying times.
He recalled one instance during which Mikesell comforted and engaged with a child during a call that saw the youngster's mother perish.
"When you think about firefighters, you notice that tough grit, that go-get-'em attitude, that emergency-scene type of mentality. And it takes some of that, but it also takes compassion because we're dealing with people who are facing some of the worst challenges of their lives," said Mixon.
Mikesell was applauded and congratulated by peers visiting from multiple fire stations.
