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One woman is part of a group of three Decorah police officers, one DeWitt police officer and one Decorah volunteer firefighter who will receive the Sullivan Brothers' Award of Valor in a ceremony this Thursday. Officer Sara Stinson will be joined by Chief Tom Courtney, Captain Warren Leeps, volunteer firefighter Jeff Ode and DeWitt Sergeant Marc Swingle when the honor is presented by Gov. Chet Culver at the State Capitol.

The award was known as the Governor's Award of Valor until 2004 when former Gov. Tom Vilsack decided to rename the award after the five Sullivan brothers of Waterloo who were killed serving on the same U.S. Navy ship during World War II. The change was prompted by the U.S. Mint's refusal to feature the brothers on Iowa state quarter.

Regardless of the change of name, the award recognizes peace officers and firefighters who "distinguish themselves by the performance of an heroic act ... where the person was fully aware of the threat to his/her personal safety." During the 30 years the award has been presented, 54 men and women have been honored -- nine of those posthumously. Nominees must meet strict guidelines and a background investigation.

Stinson, Courtney, Leeps and Ode responded to a Jan. 12 report of an automobile accident. When they arrived, a single car was in the ditch along the road, engulfed in flames and smoke. It was quickly determined that a person remained in the vehicle.

The driver, 84-year-old Olive Sims, was conscious but unable to help with her rescue. In addition, the flames were spreading from the engine into the passenger compartment. The group worked together to pull Sims from the vehicle and moments later the place where she had been sitting broke into flames. She suffered very serious injuries from the collision, but escaped with her life thanks to the bravery of the responders.

The incident was caught on tape by a dashboard camera in one of the police units.

Swingle responded to an unknown problem 911 call. He was headed up the walkway to the home in question when he heard a gunshot coming from inside. He took cover and looked through a glass door to find a man on the floor with a face wound. The injured person, who had not seen Swingle, lifted a gun to his head and cocked it. In a split-second decision, Swingle opened the door and took the gun away from the elderly man. His bravery and quick actions prevented the man, later learned to have a terminal illness, from taking his own life.

The awards will be presented in the governor's formal office at the State Capitol. The four from Decorah will be honored at 12:30 p.m. and Swingle will follow at 1 p.m.