Senior Trooper Ryan Winters of the Lafayette State Police post is one of four finalists for the International Association of Chiefs of Police/Motorola trooper of the year award. An award ceremony will be held March 27 in Alexandria, VA, to honor the finalists and name the trooper of the year.

Winters was nominated by the Lafayette district commander, Lieutenant Thomas McKee, for his heroic actions regarding a fire April 10, 2014. As Winters was leaving his house to begin his shift, he saw that a neighbor’s house was on fire. Knowing the residents were elderly with limited mobility, he entered the residence himself to help after notifying the regional dispatch center of the location so that the fire department could be en route.

The southwest corner of the home was already engulfed in flames when the fire was discovered. Winters initially pounded on the front door, but when there was no response he went inside. He found the homeowners’ 11 year old grandson asleep on a couch in the living room and took him outside.

Winters learned from the grandson that the homeowners were in a bedroom on the second floor. He re-entered the home and located the residents, who were both in their 70s, and assisted them out of the house through thick black smoke.

The Ladoga Fire Department arrived on the scene and began fighting the fire, eventually calling for assistance from the New Market and Walnut Township departments as well. Trooper Winters remained to help with scene control and traffic, despite having some breathing difficulty from smoke inhalation. He was later treated at the hospital.

“We believe officer Winters saved the family in the nick of time,” stated Ladoga Fire Chief Reggie Perry. “I am afraid without his help we would have had a fatal fire with multiple deaths.”

“Senior Trooper Winters has been very humble about this nomination and was just glad to be in the right spot at the right time,” said Lt. McKee.

Source: Indiana State Police