By: Summer Kelley, Staff Reporter

Children in Dade County had just been released from school for summer vacation when an explosion rocked the Piney neighborhood on June 4, 2009. The explosion, determined to be caused by a gas leak in the home, sent Lindsey Norcross and two of her children to burn units, as well as four–year–old Katie McDaniels who Norcross had been babysitting.

Mike Pangle lived across the street from Norcross and was home the day of the explosion. He saw McDaniels’ still in the burning home and ran into the house, grabbing McDaniels and taking her out the back of the home where all the walls had been blown away in the blast. Because of Pangle’s actions, McDaniels was saved, spending time at the Shriner’s burn unit in Cincinnati before returning home to Dade County.

Each year, Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Oxendine awards Life, Fire and Safety Awards to heroes in the state of Georgia. This year, Pangle was one of four citizens rewarded for their heroic actions. 

Oxendine gave the “Citizens Award of Courage” to Pangle at an awards luncheon held in
Atlanta on Oct. 29. Pangle joined other “Citizens Award of Courage” recipients Steve Kehoe of Walker County, Bobby Montgomery of DeKalb County and Jasper Zollicofer also of DeKalb County.

Other awards given were Firefighter of the Year, Fire Official of the Year, Fire Safety Educator of the Year and Fire Safety Prevention Program of the Year and award for poster and essay contests.