On January 5th, 2023, at 1:30pm the NC Commissioner of Insurance/NC State Fire Marshal Mike Causey will be in Catawba County to present a Heroism Award to Hickory Police Officer Dylan Cornett. On May 1, 2022, Hickory Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire in a mobile home. Officer Dylan Cornett had rescued two children from the fire. After driving by the trailer and seeing what he thought was a fire in the yard, Officer Cornett circled back around the block and found approximately a quarter of the mobile home on fire. He then began to knock on doors and beat on the trailer to see if anyone was home. After receiving no answer, he proceeded into the trailer at the opposite end of the fire. He came across Allie, a 12-year-old female sleeping on the couch. He got her away from the home to his patrol car. Allie notified Officer Cornett that her 9- year-old cousin Angel was still in the home. Officer Cornett went back into the home and found Angel coming down the smoke-filled hallway. Officer Cornett got Angel out of the home and to his patrol car. Officer Cornett not only went back to the home to check what was burning even though it appeared to be outside the home but made every effort to notify any possible occupants. He went above and beyond by entering the home to find Allie. Officer Cornett then showed great dedication to protect and serve by entering the fire and smoke-filled home a second time to rescue Angel. Officer Cornett acted with courage and dedication exemplifying the true nature of the word hero.
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