Photo by Amanda Burroughs The Columbia Fire Department presented Ben Risher and his best friend R. Paul Perry III with The Citizens Medal of Honor and a plaque February 23, 2008, at Seawells during the Columbia Fire Department's third annual awards ceremony. The young heros were honored for acting under life threatening conditions to save the life of another. Risher and Perry came upon an accident in the early hours off Bluff Road and George Rogers Blvd. One of the cars involved in the accident was on fire, and Risher and Perry were able to pull the injured man to safety.

Risher is the son of Lt. Col. Tony and Susan Risher of Lexington. Perry, of Columbia, is the son of the late State Trooper Robert Paul Perry Jr. and his legal guardians Dennis and Lea Mangum of Lexington.

Bill Evans and Robert Andrews of the Midlands received the Plaque of Appreciation for giving CPR to a patient prior to emergency services arrival. Because of their help the patient survived.

William Hatten received the Civilian's Medal of Honor for pulling his neighbor from a house fire. Audray McClendon received the Citizen Medal of Honor for pulling his disabled grandmother from a house fire.