ORLANDO, Fla. – During the fifth annual Children’s Safety Village Community Heroes event, first responders from Seminole and Orange counties came together Thursday to honor the efforts of their colleagues and people in the community who are impacting the lives of children through safety.
“We’re recognizing their individual talent and for their selfless and community service to make Central Florida the safest community,” said Prashant Patel, board president of the nonprofit.
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For more than two decades, the Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida has provided programs to get results for minors.
“For 27 years, we’ve had over 100,000 children come out to learn things like fire safety, pedestrian safety [and] water safety,” said Brent Moore, executive director of the organization.
Children’s Safety Village offers educational programs and information about internet safety, swimming lessons and how to properly cross a street. Police Chief Orlando Rolón told News 6 the Orlando police department is also working with them to create awareness about internet crimes against children.
“Children’s Safety Village provides a program with our detective for example, from the Orlando Police Department, and they provide them opportunities for kids to learn about that; conversations that sometimes we don’t have with our children that in today’s world we must have,” Rolón said.
The community heroes event highlighted the stories of the nominees. Among the stories was of a child rescued after being pinned down by a vehicle and of an infant found unresponsive in an apartment.
News 6 traffic safety expert Steve Montiero emceed the event this year.
Lt. Jerold Maynard of the Apopka fire department and Karen Faust of Precision Aquatics both received the Safety Educator award.
Officer Kevin Troutman of the Altamonte Springs Police Department received a First Responder of the Year award for performing CPR on a 16-month-old infant who wasn’t breathing, saving their life. Several first responders from different units with Orange County Fire Rescue were also honored with First Responder of the Year awards.
Advent Health and Orlando Health were both recognized with the Central Florida Community Builder award.