Two Russellville firefighters were honored at the May 6 Russellville City Council meeting, Lt. Johnathan Pace and Shane Mansell, for their life-saving heroics in April.

As Fire Chief Joe Mansell explained, April 22 Lt. Johnathan Pace and firefighter Shane Mansell responded to a call about a fully-involved structure fire with someone potentially inside. The call came in at 5:41 p.m.; by 5:43 p.m., Pace and Mansell were on the scene.

“Time is of the importance. The decisions Lt. Pace made on the scene when they got there – they were able to locate the lady in the living room, get her out and save her life,” said Chief Mansell.

Mansell said Pace made the decision not to pull the fire hose before entering the structure fire because it would take valuable minutes they ended up using to save the life of the elderly woman who was trapped inside. By 5:46 p.m., they had located the woman and gotten her outside to safety. She was then flown to UAB, where she received treatment and is doing well now in rehabilitation.

“I would like to add our brothers in the police department helped out,” noted Fire Capt. Randy Seal. “It was a team effort that these guys did.”

Pace and Shane Mansell were given medals and life-saving pins at the council meeting for their bravery and quick thinking. Family members of the woman who was rescued presented them with the pins. Councilman William Nale presented them with the medals.

Also at last week’s meeting, the council heard a complaint from Helen Nichols and Roberta Richardson about an unleashed dog that has been on their property and has been aggressive, tearing up items and even killing a small family dog.

They broadened the scope of the conversation and said the city needs to do something about stray dogs in the city as well as owners who don’t take care of or restrain their dogs, especially aggressive ones.

The council agreed to take the matter under consideration and discuss leash laws.