The Houston Police Officers Union named Officers Steven Ticas and Jonathan Saldana Patrol Officers of the Month in the Union’s June general membership meeting for their actions in response to a life-threatening fire.
On May 8, Mother’s Day, Officer Ticas and Saldana were responding to an apartment fire at 8751 Broadway. Upon arriving they could see that flames and smoke shooting out of the second- and third-story windows of the apartments.
The Officers observed an unknown female jump from the third story to the ground in order to escape the flames. At the same time they noticed a mother, Ms. Blanca Denson, standing on the third-story balcony with two children screaming for help.
The officers, seeing that the fire department was still minutes away, disregarded their own safety and wellbeing and began climbing the exterior balconies. Joining them was a citizen, Kenneth Wilson.
Wilson and Officer Saldana climbed to the second story balcony, at which point Wilson assisted the officer in reaching the third floor balcony. Saldana then took the first of two children, a two-year-old, from his mother, handed him to Wilson on the second floor. Wilson then handed him to Officer Ticas, who carried the boy to safety.
Officer Saldana then took Ms. Denson’s second child, a one-year-old boy, from his mother and handed him to Wilson, who once again handed him to the save hands of Officer Ticas.
Officer Saldana and Wilson then assisted Ms. Denson off the balcony and brought her to safety.
The Union not only honored two of its own for bravery in a life-saving situation but also paid tribute to Kenneth Wilson, the trusty civilian assistant. HPOU presented Wilson with a $250 gifrt card for his heroism and bravery when he risked his life helping two Houston police officers.