Off Duty, On Call: Moss Point Firefighters Honored for Acts of Heroism

The room quieted.

It was a routine Tuesday night board meeting in Moss Point. City business was moving along. But then the tone shifted. The room quieted. Applause followed.

What happened next was not ceremony for the sake of tradition. It was honor given where honor was due.

Three members of the Moss Point Fire Department stood before the Board of Aldermen and were recognized for heroic acts that took place not on a shift, not at the station, but in the ordinary flow of daily life. These were moments where instincts sharpened by years of training turned into life-saving action.

LIFE-SAVING ACTION

Firefighter William Clemens was off duty when he noticed a party in distress at a local restaurant. Without hesitation, he stepped in and performed the Heimlich maneuver, successfully clearing the obstruction. It was a reminder that lifesaving skill does not depend on uniforms or radios. It depends on the person willing to act when others freeze.

THE SECOND HEROIC ACT

In a separate event, Firefighters Ricky Harris and Amanda Miller came upon a severe car accident while off duty. As they checked on the injured party, flames broke out at the rear of the vehicle. With no time to spare, they escalated their efforts, pulling the victim from the wreck and securing them on a stretcher board until paramedics arrived.

No official call came over the radio. They were not dispatched. But they showed up anyway. And because of that, someone lived to see another day.

Off Duty, On Call: Moss Point Firefighters Honored for Acts of Heroism

These are the moments that define a department. Quiet courage. Relentless readiness. Honor when no one is looking. The City of Moss Point extends its deepest gratitude to these firefighters for representing not just the department, but the spirit of this community.

They were not on duty.

They simply did what was right.

And that is exactly why they were recognized.