On Saturday, Washington Parish honored sheriff’s deputies and volunteer firefighters who performed bravely while during the March 11 natural disaster.

The story of Tim Sheridan’s rescue is inspiring. Sheridan, an employee at Rayburn Correctional Center, was stranded in the high water after attempting to cross a flooded road.

Among those who rescued him were District 6 firefighters Justin Southern, Leyton Paige and District Chief Kenny Nichols. They not only rescued Sheridan, but also survived high floodwaters and capsized rescue boats. A sheriff’s rescue crew reached the four stranded men at nearly 11 a.m., roughly four hours after the initial rescue attempt of Sheridan.

It should come as no surprise that the first responders were humbled by the honor, and Nichols said he didn’t deserve an award because “I did what I do every day for the community …”

Our first responders put their lives on the line every day, and we can never thank them enough. Even so, Saturday’s ceremony was a much-deserved bit of extra recognition for these brave men.