Walhalla cop saved lives…and a wedding dress

A two-year member of the Walhalla police disregarded a risk to his personal safety to help save others who were the victims of a home fire. At the scene before the first set of fire fighters, policeman Elijah Hayes entered a burning home on E. Wesley Street and alerted the occupants to get out. The fire occurred July 6. Hayes last night received the commendations of the Walhalla City Council. The policeman’s actions are a comfort to both the police and fire chiefs because he was able to accomplish life-saving actions, for which he’s not trained. Police Chief Sean Brinson said Hayes noticed that a female was attempting to retrieve an item from the burning house. Hayes took over and retrieved the item—a wedding dress that the woman planned to wear the following day.