Officer Honored for Heroic Tractor-Trailer Rescue Amidst Blazing Inferno
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) proudly announces Lieutenant Corey Brooks of the Salisbury (NC) Police Department as the Officer of the Month for August 2023. Lt. Brooks’s remarkable act of heroism in rescuing a non-responsive truck driver from a burning tractor-trailer on the interstate highway has earned him this well-deserved recognition.
On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, Lt. Corey Brooks was responding to a separate incident in the late hours of the evening. While on Interstate 85, he witnessed an accident where a tractor-trailer collided with a retaining wall, igniting into a fierce blaze. In a split second, the lieutenant displayed unwavering courage, springing into action. He quickly approached the burning truck’s cab, where he discovered the unconscious driver, trapped inside. Without hesitation, Brooks swiftly informed the authorities via his radio and displayed remarkable heroism by extracting the unresponsive driver from the passenger seat of the tractor-trailer.
“Lieutenant Corey Brooks’s selfless actions exemplify the highest standards of law enforcement and service to the community,” said Bill Alexander, Chief Executive Officer of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. “His courage and quick thinking in the face of danger are nothing short of heroic, and we are honored to recognize him as our Officer of the Month for August 2023.”
Brooks has more than two decades of experience in law enforcement, beginning his career with the East Spencer (NC) Police Department in 1998. He has earned a number of accolades throughout his tenure, including the City of Salisbury Keys to Excellence Bronze Award, Salisbury Police Veteran Officer of the Year, the 2016 Blue Line Brother Hood Award, and the Lions Club Salisbury Police Veteran of the Year award.
